Yeah, it was a side-effect of how long the show has run. By the time he took over, the show had been on for almost twenty years. He was the first actor to play the part that actually had the opportunity to watch the show while growing up. He's always said the Doctor he grew up watching was Troughton, and even decided to only do three years of the show because that's how long Troughton did it.

What's even more surreal, it's been twenty-two years since he finished his run, and the new Doctor (David Tennant) has cited that Davison is the Doctor he grew up watching.

Shit, I'm getting old...heh....