FOOTBALL loves heroes. It is part of the game's personality to seek them, create them, worship them. So when a youngish man who lavished his money and charisma on reciprocating that love dies, it is perhaps not surprising to see him adoringly raised to hero status.

The fans' tears at Stamford Bridge on Saturday were a touching tribute to somebody who won their hearts by doing what they would do if they had his money: put it into Chelsea.

But on top of all these understandable emotions, one cannot help feeling that a gushing simplicity attends the death of Matthew Harding.

Immediate tributes to the dead rarely include more than praise, but sometimes it goes too far. Over the past few days a succession of journalists have described "my last meeting in the pub with my friend Matthew", and drinking buddies endlessly told how they "still expect Matthew to come through the pub door any moment". The kindly meant coverage has made Harding sound like Father Theresa and his story read like something out of Mills and Boon.

It took the Chelsea chairman Ken Bates to break the ice and peer below the surface of Matthew Harding. He wanted to be loved by everyone but had few close friends," he said on Saturday.

Matthew died still a mystery, an enigma, because behind the veneer of bonhomie he was a loner, a deep thinker. Very good company, a star in the cut and thrust of friendly repartee but given to monosyllabic replies if you probed deeper."

This could be seen as another Bates attack on his old adversary, but actually felt more like a recognition of a kindred spirit and an attempt to portray Harding as a human being rather than a one dimensional caricature.

For, in truly appreciating anyone, reality must be allowed to leaven the natural generosity of grief, otherwise tributes become as sickly as the seventh cream cake.

For instance, Harding was a businessman as well as a Chelsea fan, well aware of the long term money making potential of the club. He provided it with loans, not the gifts of legend, and, right or wrong, as landlord of Stamford Bridge he charged the club £1.5 million a year in rent.

So let us embrace all realities in recalling Harding, so we remember him as a human being, not some super being.

And that is not to knock his memory or undermine his achievements. He was a fun person who provided, when few others would, the money for Chelsea to grow on and off the pitch. It is a pity that, until the details of his will are known and his business affairs untangled, the club now face a period of business uncertainty.

On the pitch, too, Ruud Gullit's team seem hesitant in fulfilling Harding's dream - in this case a consistently successful side. Saturday's performance typically mixed spurts of brilliance with spells of ineptitude. The end result, though, was what everybody wanted, a win to honour the memory of Matthew Harding.

That was not easy on an emotionally charged afternoon. The Chelsea team held hands in front of the packed Matthew Harding Stand for the minute's silence before kick oft, two wreaths and a lone pint of Guinness lying in the centre circle.

But once they were removed Tottenham played as though they had long ago decided not to try to compete with the occasion.

Two of Chelsea's goals in this 3-1 win involved players who would not be at the club without Harding's cash, Gullit scoring the first and Vialli setting up Di Matteo for the third.

In between a mistake by Hitchcock allowed Armstrong to equalise, then Lee added Chelsea's second from the spot before later being carried off with a cracked tibia.

It could not cloud a perfect result. "The game was tiring physically and emotionally," said Gullit, abut it was a great tribute to Matthew. As for the future, he had a dream, and the best would be if we could come close to fulfilling that dream." As memorials go, that would be the most appropriate.

"Everyone felt we had to play the game," said Gullit. "If you wait a week you still have those feelings anyway.

"Everyone in the stadium participated in a special way, the Tottenham supporters included, and on behalf of the club I thank them.

"There was a special vibe throughout the whole stadium. And in the end, the players were happy about giving such a tribute."