Well I was a spotter once, and still am, proud of it....though my spotting does tend to attract ridicule from some of my colleagues in the crew room. I'm very lucky in that my job is also my hobby, and long may it continue.
I walked around Yeadon airport's (as was) perimeter fence with my Dad when I was a lad, listening to ATC on my transistor radio I got for my my birthday. Or even in my pushchair I can recall family days out at Manchester airport (my older brother's spotting being of olympic standards, his anorak being ermine lined, whereas mine was just a standard issue) walking out onto the piers at Manchester and being able to look down into the flightdecks of aeroplanes and wonder what it'd be like...
Well now I know, and as I taxy past in my nice (sometimes not so shiny) A320 and see the spotters opposite T1 hold on 23L at Manchester at 7am, I marvel at their dedication as it by far surpassed mine...I only get up that early because I get paid for it!
But next time lads, if we wave first, please return the complement, even the ATCOs at RAF stations used to wave back!