Richard Hughes' life in football to date has been an intriguing old affair. Despite being raised in Italy due to his father’s job, he was born in Glasgow yet never once appeared on the radar of any clubs north of the border.
A youth player with Atalanta after being scouted by AC Milan, he was signed by Arsenal after moving to England and deemed good enough to pull on a Scotland shirt on five occasions. But his name and face would still draw blanks from most members of the Tartan Army.
The truth is that despite a stellar career on England’s south coast with Bournemouth and Portsmouth, the 44-year-old became more conspicuous in the game once his boots were on the peg.