Terry Hurlock was already 27 when Reading’s boss, Ian Branfoot, recruited him for the run-in to the Third Division championship in 1986. Over the next four seasons, Hurlock proved that he could hack it not only in Division II with Reading and Millwall, in turn, but in the First Division with Millwall.

And then, in 1990-91, when he was a regular in the Rangers side that won the SPL, his form was so good that there was talk that, even at 32, he might yet be capped by England. In short, Terry had amply proved that there was more to his game than the reputation he had earned in his younger days – as a bruising, competitive midfield-enforcer. He could also play a bit. This combination appealed to Branfoot, who signed him again for First Division Southampton and persevered with him, in 1992-93, the first season of the rebranded Premier League. Terry’s ability still to mix it has been recalled by his team-mate, Jeff Kenna, who reckoned that “age didn’t come into it” –

Terry had remained “a fierce competitor, even in five-a-side on a Friday, [who] didn’t hold back.”

Having played his last two games for Branfoot just before the manager’s contract was terminated in January 1994, Terry played no part in Alan Ball’s plans and was soon re-united with Branfoot, at fourth-tier Fulham. In recent years, he has been involved with public houses, running one in Loughton, with his brother, for a while, and then in a project revamping old pubs, while working part-time for the RMT union.