Released by Peterborough, Andy Rogers turned his back on professional football to train as a teacher in London’s Borough Road college, turning out for them, mid-week, and for Isthmian League Hampton on Saturdays. But First Division Southampton “lured” him – his word – back into the big-time and his first few weeks were, as he puts it, “a bit different from college football.”

He was immediately thrust into a forward-line that included Alan Ball, Mick Channon and Charlie George for a testimonial v Bournemouth and was then asked if he had a passport: he was in the party heading for Portugal for a friendly v Benfica. His remaining season-and-a-half at The Dell was an anti-climax – just five substitute appearances. Having borrowed him for a few weeks, Third Division Plymouth paid Southampton £50,000 to acquire a tricky winger who would play almost 200 times for them.

In 1983-84, he scored direct from a corner to win a Sixth Round FA Cup replay at Derby. As he lined up on Argyle’s left-wing for the semi-final v Watford, not only was Andy 90 minutes from the Final, but supposing Southampton were to beat Everton in the other semi-final? Prospects of a dream-meeting at Wembley were thwarted, however, by Watford and Everton. He rounded off his League career with a couple of promotions. Almost ever-present for Reading as they won Division III in 1986, Andy was thankful to the club physio, who saved his life when he swallowed his tongue during a match. The following season, he joined Southend in time to feature in their promotion from Division IV. After a non-league flurry, Andy became a probation officer in Devon, working in Torquay and living in Totnes, while turning out, for a while, for the Argyle Legends.