Throughout the history of professional football, many players have dreamt of emulating their heroes but for only the select few do those dreams become reality.
As a young Torquay United fan growing up in Torbay, Jamie Reid would have spent part of his youth watching David Graham lead the Gulls' forward line between 2001 and 2004, a period which saw the Scotsman scored 47 goals - which made him Torquay United's leading league goal scorer in the 21st century. That figure includes United's third goal in their 3-2 win against Barnet on the final day of the 2000-01 season and their second in their 2-1 victory over Southend United which sealed automatic promotion in the 2003-04 campaign.
Fast forward to 2019 and Reid has now surpassed that total following his brace in United's 4-0 win away at Stockport County with a current total that now stands at 48 - it also proved to be a double celebration in the Gulls' dressing room as manager Gary Johnson was also celebrating his 64th birthday.
Reid's journey to overhauling Graham's tally has taken always been a smooth one, with many a bump, detour and retreat along the way. However, there are a number of similarities and parallels that can be found between the two United strikers.
For starters, both strikers have been capped internationally at Under-21 level. Graham won eight caps for Scotland Under-21s between 1997 and 1999 and Reid received two caps for Northern Ireland in 2013.
The two men also made promising starts at the clubs where they began their careers as Graham was handed his debut for Glasgow Rangers in 1998 in a UEFA Cup tie against League of Ireland side Shelbourne at Prenton Park. He also made a substitute appearance in an Old Firm against Glasgow Celtic later on in the 1998-99 campaign before joining Dunfermline Athletic.
Reid also made a hugely impressive start to his career with the Gulls' local rivals Exeter City, who he joined after the Gulls' youth development was shut down in 2004. After a promising debut as a substitute against Oxford United for the Grecians on Boxing Day 2012, he later bagged a brace in his first start against AFC Wimbledon in April 2013.
When initially joining the Gulls, both players went through periods of indifference where they were often played out of position. Graham was frequently used as an attacking midfielder by Roy McFarland in the 2001-02 season, while Reid was often deployed as a winger during his first two loan spells at Plainmoor in the 2014-15 and 2016-17 campaigns under Chris Hargreaves and Kevin Nicholson respectively.
Nevertheless when they were both played as strikers they did so to excellent effect and played key roles in United sides that won promotion automatically. Graham found the back of the net 23 times in all competitions as the Gulls won automatic promotion for the first time in 38 years in the 2003-04 season under Leroy Rosenior, while Reid's 32 goals in the 2018-19 campaign were crucial in helping United clinch the National League South title under the guidance of Gary Johnson.
While many will no doubt be quick to point out that Graham's 47 goals for United were scored at Football League level whereas Reid's goals all came in non-league football. However, having found the back of the net nine times already this season, Reid could yet play a vital role in helping the Gulls return to League Two in the near future.
