'Like he was 10 years younger': The amazing story of how an 84-year-old Man City fan with dementia became an internet sensation

Manchester City weren't alone in defying expectations on Sunday with a sensational result.

In the crowd to cheer on Pep Guardiola and his players for their incredible comeback to win the Premier League title was 84-year-old Barry Carr with his grandson Charlie Gibson. Despite the progression of Barry's dementia leaving his loved ones fearing he wouldn't be able to make the game even hours before kick-off, parking up at the Etihad sparked him into his pomp and set in motion a heartwarming story of the power of football and family that has captured the hearts of millions around the world.

Barry, 84, grew up in Manchester and supported City from an early age and was such a staunch Blue that he rejected trials at United to go into the family business instead. When his grandson Charlie came up to Manchester aged six with not much idea of football, he was instantly whisked to wherever City were playing to begin his education; the first game they went to together was the infamous match with Millwall in the 1998/99 season that included an 18-player brawl, two red cards and multiple pitch invasions.

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From there, Charlie was hooked and they went to games together regularly until his grandad stopped in 2014 as his condition deteriorated. He was diagnosed with dementia the following year, and while he has had the constant support of his wife Sherry by his side - soon to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary together - and the love of three children and seven grandchildren, the added isolation caused by the pandemic has only worsened his illness; Alzheimer's took hold to the point that when the club heard Barry's story and sorted tickets