By Mina Kerr-Lazenby, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter NORTH SHORE NEWS

They say never meet your heroes because they tend to disappoint. Oftentimes the rich and the famous arenB次元官网网址檛 always who they are cracked up to be and celebrity encounters leave a sour taste in oneB次元官网网址檚 mouth B次元官网网址� but there is an exception to that rule, it seems, and he comes heavily tatted, donning a flat cap and clutching a pint of Guinness.

Like the beginning of a bad joke, the chance encounter that occurred last Monday starts with two holidaying North Vancouver business owners walking into a bar. The famed Temple Bar in Dublin, that is.

Trish Neufeld and her brother David Smyth had been enjoying their final night in the Irish capital when soccer legend David Beckham and his son Cruz, out painting the town red for CruzB次元官网网址檚 18th birthday, asked to join their table.

B次元官网网址淚t was pretty unreal,B次元官网网址� said Smyth, who owns local marketing business Click Local Digital Agency.

B次元官网网址淲e ended up in the Temple Bar in the heart of Dublin, and the place was packed, the music was fantastic and everybody was singing. Next thing we know this young guy comes along and explains that itB次元官网网址檚 his birthday and he asks if he can sit with us.B次元官网网址�

Smyth, a self-proclaimed B次元官网网址渂ig soccer fanB次元官网网址�, said the penny only dropped that it was Beckham and his clan when he noticed the EnglishmanB次元官网网址檚 signature ink.

B次元官网网址淒avid had his back to me at first with his hand sitting on the table beside me, and I was like, `Oh my God, I would swear those are David BeckhamB次元官网网址檚 tattoos,B次元官网网址滲次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淗e turns around and we get chatting. We spend the next couple of hours drinking pints of Guinness and singing along to the amazing musicians and just having a great old time.B次元官网网址�

Smyth said Beckham, who was joined by his own friends alongside those of his son, even bought a round of drinks for everyone at the table.

When Smyth mentioned how his own son was an avid soccer player, Beckham suggested the two should drop by and B次元官网网址渟ay helloB次元官网网址� if they are ever in Miami B次元官网网址� now one of the BeckhamsB次元官网网址� multiple homes following the footballers launch of his own soccer team, Inter Miami, in the Florida city.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l see what happens, but if we are ever in Miami weB次元官网网址檒l certainly be taking him up on that offer,B次元官网网址� laughed Smyth.

B次元官网网址淗e was really generous and genuine. They were all just lovely, lovely people,B次元官网网址� he said.

Neufield, a broker with The Mortgage Group, said the Temple Bar crowd had been respectful of Beckham and he seemed B次元官网网址渧ery comfortableB次元官网网址� to be imbibing the night away with regular folk. He even happily posed for a photo with the siblings, which has gone on to do the rounds on social media.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been blown away by the response, with everyone around the world sending us messages,B次元官网网址� said Neufield.

B次元官网网址淚t was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we feel really lucky to have met him.B次元官网网址�