Steve Bull remains one of the region's most popular figures, especially in Wolverhampton where he spent 13 years playing for Wolves, scoring 306 goals in 561 appearances in old gold and black.
Born and raised in Tipton, Bull has spent the best part of four decades living in Wolverhampton following his famous transfer across the Black Country divide from West Brom to Wolves, and insisted the thought of ever leaving the region has never crossed his mind.
"The best thing about the Black Country is the people," the former-England striker said. "The people are honest, they're hard working, and whatever they say they're going to do they'll do it.
Steve Bull as part of BCD coverage at the Molineux
Steve Bull as part of BCD coverage at the Molineux
"That's why I've lived here (all my life), because I love the place and love the people.
"Look where I am now, I've been (involved at Wolves) for nearly 40 years, I've got a stand named after me and I'm adored by thousands of fans.
"I've not really moved out of a 10 mile radius all my life, and it all comes back to the people. There's nowhere else like us in Wolverhampton and the Black Country."
With 13 England caps and a trip to the Italia 90 World Cup under his belt - despite only ever making one appearance in the top flight of English football - the 60-year-old's career has taken him around the world.
However, despite those ventures Bully is adamant he never found anywhere that matched the Black Country.
"Coming from Tipton and going to the World Cup is surreal," he said. "I had three jobs before I played football - I worked on a builders yard, in a bed factory and in a warehouse, I never thought I'd end up travelling around the world.
"To come from where I grew up in Tipton to this is surreal. In the early days I didn't even know whether I'd become a footballer.
"Coming from the Black Country you'll always have that honesty, the people around you all have that honesty, they won't go behind your back and they'll say what needs to be said to you.
"I haven't changed, and I'll never change. I've changed nothing whether I'm meeting people here or anywhere, I'll always be the same.
"I got to play for Wolves in different places, I got to travel around the world when I played for England and go to the World Cup, and I never found anywhere like the Black Country or Wolverhampton, certainly not the people."
Wolves legend Steve Bull
Wolves legend Steve Bull
And proud of his Tipton roots, he enjoys trips back to his hometown - even though he enjoys a joke or two at their expense
"I do get back to Tipton when I can, and it's changed a bit from when I was there - they've got curtains and doors and windows there now," he joked. "In all seriousness it's absolutely brilliant there still. It's been updated a bit, but just like Wolverhampton when I first came here it was old and dated but now its more modern. When I first came to Wolves it was all run down and there was only one stand at the ground, and now that one is mine!
"Whenever I'm back in Tipton now I can walk around and say 'oh I used to kick a ball against that wall' or 'they used to chase me when I was playing in their garden.' I love going back and doing that."