Chris Coleman has paid an emotional tribute to his former team-mate and manager, Ray Wilkins.
The former England international sadly passed away on Wednesday, with the footballing and wider world hailing his impact on and off the pitch.
Coleman played alongside Wilkins at Crystal Palace before playing under him at Fulham, but it was a tale from after the pair went their separate ways that underlined Wilkins’ impact on the people he met.
And speaking at his pre-match press conference, the Welshman labelled his team-mate as an ‘icon’ of the game.
"What a great man,” said Coleman.
"We signed him at Crystal Palace, he was probably about 35 then Ray, and we had just got promoted into the Premier League – we were all in awe of his ability and talent, even at that age.”
He continued: “The ball was like a magnet on his foot and it was the first time I'd been around that quality, an ex-England captain.
“The attraction for me was what he was like as a fella, a great guy. He signed me for Fulham and I had a great relationship with him.
“I remember when I had a car crash at Fulham, he was the first at my bedside and he wasn't even at Fulham then, he had moved on but he was that type of football man.
"Anybody you talk to will say Ray Wilkins is an icon in football, certainly from my era.
"From a fantastic family, lovely people, and he is a huge, huge loss.”