Rovers star and the baby Bentley

5:27pm Friday 25th January 2008

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A FAMILY of Blackburn Rovers fanatics have named their baby after the club's star winger David Bentley.

And the England international met his five-week-old tiny namesake Bentley Michael William McManus this week with his mum Danielle Childs and dad David McManus, a lifelong Rovers fan.

The Rovers player said the gesture was "a really humbling experience" to meet 'Baby Bentley'.

He said: "For me, it was a really humbling experience.

"It's a great honour for someone to respect you that much as a footballer and a person to name their first child after you.

"I feel quite inspired myself - it's had that much of an effect on me."

Danielle, 20, said: "I knew I was having a boy from early on, and not long after we had the idea to name him Bentley - I say we', but it was more David!

"We're both Rovers fans, but he's much more into it than I am, and goes to all the matches."

David, 27, said: "It's our first child, and as soon as we found out it was a boy I knew that would be his name - even before we knew, I was thinking of ways I'd be able to name a girl after a player.

"David Bentley is my favourite player. He's by far the team's best footballer.

"My whole family are Rovers fans and my dad thinks it's great but my mum took a bit more convincing at the start!"

It certainly looks like little Bentley, whose two middle names are taken from his granddad and great-granddad, will be carrying on the loyal family tradition, having made his first trip to Rovers' training ground at Brockhall Village on Thursday.

Danielle, who lives with David in Whittle-le-Woods, said: "David's dad arranged for us to go along to meet David Bentley, as he was really happy that we'd named Bentley after him, and wanted to meet him.

"It was great but Baby Bentley was asleep for most of it!"

David, who works as a groundsworker in Burnley and Blackburn, said: "It was brilliant "David was over the moon, and it turns out his middle name is also Michael!"

'Baby Bentley' is a tag associated with footballers since the launch of the Bentley Continental due to the car's size and price tag which made the vehicle a favourite with players.