I invented fantasy football

It’s probably too late to stake that claim, but I’m serious.

When I was in my early teens -13 or 14 – I invented a football league made up of imaginary teams from towns in the local area.

Throwing dice to determine the results, I managed to calculate positions for an entire league table over a complete season in a notebook.

We’re talking 1971/72 here. There were no fancy computer programs to do the calculations — all by hand.

Although things were not left entirely to chance – when results didn’t go my way, I’d throw the dice again in match-fixing on an industrial scale.

I had a favourite team and I was the star striker.

I couldn’t lose.

I was in my world and I made the rules.

We all want to be the hero at some stage.

I certainly did.

We’re not necessarily talking Superman here. Everyone has a different view of what a hero is.

But an ideal customer is a hero too — one who will always buy your stuff, sing your praises, understand your little quirks.

Because although the perfect avatar is based on fact, there is always an element of fantasy.

There’s a temptation to make your customer much like you. You might feel that’s not right, but it is.

After all, you want to work with people you like, don’t you?

But it’s OK to put a bit of you into your avatar. Put you at the centre.