Jack Grealish has sent a birthday message to a fan who will remember life long before Pep Guardiola‘s parents were born – 106-year-old Mary Spiers.
Mary was born in August 1918 during World War I and listens to every match on the radio from her care home room near Stockport.
She celebrated another year around the sun on Sunday and was gifted with a signed shirt from City’s stars as well as a video message from Grealish.
While she received more than 300 cards to mark the occasion, the special touch from Grealish was the cherry on top.
‘Hey Mary, it’s Jack Grealish here. I just want to send a quick video message,’ the City star began.
Manchester City fan Mary Spiers turned 106 on Sunday and received a special message from Jack Grealish
Grealish wished Mary, who has been alive for all but one of City’s major trophies, all the best
‘I’ve heard it’s your 106th birthday. I want to wish you all the best, I hope you have a lovely day, and I’m sending you all my love. All the best.’
In the same week, Mary received a card King Charles and Queen Camilla – her third royal birthday card, according to the Manchester Evening News.
‘My family love Manchester City, and I join in with them,’ Mary said.
‘I’m hoping to meet some of the players, shake hands with them, kick a football around.’
Mary has been alive to experience City win all but one of the 34 major trophies in their history, missing out on the 1904 FA Cup by 14 years.
She revealed that John Stones, Ruben Dias and Phil Foden are her favourites, as per the MEN, meaning Grealish still has work to do to get in her good books.
Due to her diminishing eyesight, Mary listens to every match on a transistor radio, a gift from her cousin Henry.
Grealish’s gesture is the latest in a string of actions which endear him to the fanbase.
Grealish is known for his touching gestures, such as gifting a fan his boots after the Euro 2020 final defeat by Italy at Wembley
He is known for taking the time out of his day to take an interest in supporters, such as gifting his boots and taking a photo with a young fan amid his heartbreak after the Euro 2020 final defeat at Wembley.
As she joins the ranks among Britain’s oldest people, Mary revealed that the secret to her long and happy life is down to two things – her sense of humour, and the fact that she ‘hasn’t chased men.’
She and her siblings spent decades sharing the same house in Handforth, Cheshire, where Mary was still living independently until just over a month ago.
Asked what she puts her long life down to, Mary said: ‘I don’t drink, I don’t smoke and I don’t chase men! You just get up and get on with the day. You just live every day, every minute and you don’t realise it’s piling up.
‘I’ve got a sense of humour, and it gets you through some difficult times. It’s not been all happy. It’s been sad in lots of ways.’
