Tribute to Buchan on his birthday
Martin Buchan was Manchester United captain when I first started supporting the Reds as the 1970s prepared to give way to the 1980s.
The great man turns 75 today (Wednesday) and he actually joined the Reds in the year I was born, with Frank O'Farrell splashing out a club-record fee to land the Aberdeen defender.
Yet it was money very well spent as he represented the club for over a decade, making 456 appearances and emerging as a true leader.
Sticking with the club despite relegation, he captained us to the epic 1977 FA Cup final win over Liverpool, ensuring forever a place in football trivia circles by becoming the first man to skipper a side to such triumphs both north and south of the border.
The centre-back led United out for the 1979 final against Arsenal, only for the Reds to lose in heartbreaking circumstances, something I'm forever grateful I just missed out. By the time of 1979/80, he was still a stalwart, becoming an ever-present in the first league season I remember and would become obsessed with stats such as this, fuelled mainly by the Panini sticker albums and Rothmans Yearbooks.
I recognised Buchan as an incredibly cool customer, a reliable rock at the heart of the defence and a proper captain. At that time, he was still a very influential figure for Dave Sexton's men and just a reassuring presence in any line-up.
In the following two seasons he was not a regular choice but new manager Ron Atkinson, who took over the helm in 1982, would end up picking him 36 times.
By the time of the first trophy of my United-supporting life, in 1983, he was only a bit-part player. In that final campaign at Old Trafford, the long-serving Scotsman only made six appearances, half of those in the league, and he was not involved in the FA Cup final.
Buchan's last five outings were all away from home, at the tail end of 1982, and the only time the Old Trafford crowd saw him play that term was in a goalless draw with Valencia in the UEFA Cup.
It was not the send-off he deserved so it was only fitting he was granted a testimonial in August of 1983, against his former club Aberdeen.
Speaking last year, he said: "I am 74 and I'd still be playing if I could. But father time pardons no man. It comes to us all, the secret is to know when to go."
Fans of a certain age will look back at Buchan with a sense of nostalgia. He always looked immaculate in the classic kits of those times and is perhaps the first player you think of when you picture it in your mind's eye.
So happy birthday, Martin, from all at Old Trafford!