Toned and tanned, David Bentley still looks fit enough to play for his former side Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup against Manchester United, rather than supporting them from an armchair at his Spanish home in the hills above Marbella.
It is hard to believe that it is four years since the one-time golden boy of English football and heir apparent to David Beckham hung up his boots at the age of 29 despite various offers to continue.
Back in 2006, he was hot property, the first player to score a Premier League hat-trick against Manchester United in a famous 4-3 Rovers win at Ewood Park.