Reading winger Garath McCleary is relishing the chance of playing the side he supported from a young age when the Championship outfit face Arsenal in an FA Cup semi-final clash tomorrow at Wembley Stadium.
The 27-year-old, who has come up from non-league and has made his way up to manage playing for Championship outfits Nottingham Forest at first and Reading afterwards, feels that it will be a dream for him to play against a side that boasts of having a rich history with players such as Ian Wright and Thierry Henry having played for them.
The pair are some of the legends that McCleary reveals he idolised while growing up.
The Jamaica international particularly noted legendary French striker Henry, who he believes is a treat to watch even when he is doing his punditry.
The former Nottingham Forest player also took time to speak about some of the other star players such as Marc Overmars, Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit, who played for the Gunners at some point in their club career.
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Speaking about Arsenal the winger told the FA's official website: “I supported them from a young age. It was just their style of play. Especially when Arsene Wenger came in.
“Growing up it I idolised Ian Wright, and then it was Thierry Henry.
“Even watching him now doing his punditry, Henry is someone that as soon as he speaks you just have to listen, because he oozes class on and off the pitch.
“And it’s not just those two. It’s Overmars, Vieira, Petit, [Nicolas] Anelka. Just so many players who came in and played a different style of football.”
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