FOR one Wales star, it really is the Theatre of Dreams.
Now Joe Allen wants fantasy to become reality when Swansea City head to Old Trafford next week.
And thatās why heās keeping fingers crossed for Ryan Giggs and co to win the Manchester showdown with title rivals City tomorrow night.
Swans midfield ace Allen is a self-confessed schoolboy United fan so thereās little wonder heād rather the red side in the race triumph tomorrow.
Because victory for Sir Alex Fergusonās side would set the wheels in motion for a possible scenario that would start with United lifting the trophy ā and ending with one of the biggest results in Swansea City history!
Should United win tomorrow over City and then Roberto Manciniās men fail to win against Newcastle in next Sundayās early kick-off, Fergieās side will already be crowned champions before the Swans kick off at Old Trafford at 4pm.
And then thereās the small matter of helping Brendan Rodgersā men upset the presentation party with the clubās first win at the home of the self-styled biggest club in the world.
Yet Allen says he has an even greater motivator to impress next week as he lines up against a hero he claims to have modelled his game on.
āIt will be a very special game for me,ā said the seven-cap midfielder, nearing the end of a quite superb debut season in the Premier League.
āIām sure Old Trafford is a place all the players have been dreaming of playing at.
āWe probably thought it would never happen.
āWhen the fixtures came out it was one I looked for ā Iām a boyhood United fan and I canāt wait to go there and pit my wits against players like Giggs and Paul Scholes.
āGiggs was always someone I looked out because he was a Welshman and a fantastic player. But, from my own football point of view, I looked up to Roy Keane and Scholes, who was my hero as a kid.
āI really studied the way they played as much as I could when I was trying to make it as a footballer.
āAnd when Scholes retired at the end of last season I was disappointed because I thought I would never get the chance to be on the same pitch and line up alongside him.
āThankfully he has come out of retirement so I get that chance.ā
Scholes, 37, has been a revelation since returning from the retirement he announced at the end of last season, even sneaking into late running for player of the year as he spearheaded Unitedās surge for the title.
And Allen added: āSince he has come back he has shown how good he is. To be out of the game since the backend of last season and come straight back in shows he is a true great.
āWhen you see the effect he has had on Manchester United since his return says it all for the ability he has.ā
But if Allen has tried to emulate the Man Utd great, heās not done too bad a job of it.
An ability to pass to perfection both over short and long range (managing 100% accuracy against Bolton last week), he can switch the direction of play to devastating effect.
And there is the same tenacity needed to add a bit of steel to midfields full of style ā although Allenās tackling edges that of Scholesā awkward attempts to master the art.
You wonāt catch the modest playmaker admitting heās anywhere near the level of Scholes ā even if Wales fans drooling at the prospect of him linking up with Aaron Ramsey, Joe Ledley and Jack Collison might for the World Cup qualifiers might.
But he does admit that heās looking forward to the prospect of heading to Old Trafford next week as Swansea look to finish their season with a real bang against his boyhood idols.
āIāve always been a United fan, but this season Iāve distanced myself and not focused on how they are doing,ā said the 22-year-old, part of the Swans side that put Fergieās men in the title driving seat with that 1-0 win over Man City last month. āBut in saying that, Monday night is a game the whole footballing world will be watching.
āItās difficult to pick which way it will go.
āIād like to think United can win the title. Both teams have been evenly matched and Iām sure there will be more twists and turns even with just three games to go.
āBut it will be a pretty good day if we can get a result and they are champions.ā
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/manchester-united-fan-joe-allen-2033291