Problem is you can't ignore the truth.
You say Gary Havelock was a Legend on Teeside - that is very true - he WAS a great Rider and deserved to be a Legend. He was a former World Champion for heavens sake - that alone should give him legendary status in his home town.
But some of his performances in his last two Seasons were hardly glorious. I admire Gary as much as anyone but I can see the stage where his age caught up with him.
Sad I know, but it happens to us all.