Loyalty counts in Gareth Southgate's world so it should not be a surprise he has invited his first manager, Alan Smith, to Wembley for this evening's defining Euro 2020 final against Italy.
Smith was Southgate's youth-team boss and mentor at Crystal Palace and the pair have remained close over five decades.
Last week, Smith posted a picture of the 1989 Palace youngsters about to embark on a training camp in Portugal.
Alan Smith believes that Gareth Southgate's experience at Crystal Palace toughened him up
The 50-year-old is one game away from winning England's first piece of silverware for 55 years
There are plenty of notables, including future England international Chris Powell, now part of Southgate's backroom team, and goalscoring goalkeeper Jimmy Glass.
But none went on to have the career of Southgate, who won 57 England caps as a player — missing a key penalty at Euro 96 — and is now a national treasure by leading a young and vibrant Three Lions to within 90 minutes of ending 55 years of hurt.
'It was a nice group of players and Gareth, then 18, epitomised what we were about in that photo. He is looking straight at the camera, smart blazer and a big smile,' reflects Smith on Southgate's first overseas trip as a professional.
'Teams didn't do glamorous pre-seasons back then, but I had a mate who got us a deal for 10 days in Vale do Lobo and another mate who sponsored the trip.
'The chairman Ron Noades was furious because the first team had nothing like that. They didn't have the budget.
'Before we went to Portugal, we spent a week with the Grenadier and Coldstream guards, assault courses every day.
'It was bloody tough and the players hated it. But they knew if they got through it, they would be off to Portugal. Otherwise, they wouldn't go. Not surprisingly, nobody got injured!'
Smith believes the early days helped shape not only Southgate but other players who also went on to enjoy successes of their own.
Simon Rodger, Dean Gordon, Simon Osborn, Ricky Newman and the best man at Southgate's wedding, Andy Woodman, all made it in the professional game.
Southgate roomed with the late Ray Wilkins as Palace got promoted to the Premier League
Jamie Moralee went on to become a striker at Millwall and after retirement became the boss of New Era, the management company who guided Rio Ferdinand.
From that summer, Southgate went to Portugal every pre-season with Palace. By 1993, Smith was first-team manager and Southgate his 22-year-old captain in a team that boasted many senior pros and alpha males, including Andy Thorn, Chris Coleman and Ray Wilkins.
Smith arranged for Southgate to room with Wilkins, who had enjoyed a stellar playing career and was regarded as a good role model.
'Ray was meticulous in his preparation,' explains Smith. 'The detail was brilliant, even down to using a different kind of shampoo for his feet.
'We had a lot of players who would have made captains. Some players felt we needed a more experienced leader but nobody could set the standards that Gareth did and we ended up winning promotion to the Premier League.
'Ray Lewington (later to be Roy Hodgson's No2 with England) was reserve coach. The other coach was David Kemp, who had that nice ability to point things out without undermining me. I am sure all those things were sewn into Gareth's psyche at an early age.'
Sir Alf Ramsey is the only England coach to have won a major international tournament
Back row (left to right): Scott Thomas, Ricky Newman, Dave Stevens, Mark Hone, Ben Harding, Dean Gordon, Stuart Corlett. Middle row (left to right): John Whitfield (coach), Simon Rodger, Paul Brazier, Jimmy Glass, Andy Woodman, Barry Ellis, Chris Powell, Carl Roberts, Stuart Scott (assistant manager). Front row (left to right): Johnny Myatt, Simon