Just like John Terry, Ken Shellito went from humble beginnings in London's East End to become a successful defender for Chelsea and England. And like Wayne Bridge, Shellito suffered the heartbreak of missing out on the World Cup because of a quirk of fate.
Shellito, who works as a technical analyst at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in Kuala Lumpur, has watched from a distance in disbelief as the soap opera within the English Premier League unfolded.
Bridge's decision to make himself unavailable just three months before South Africa 2010 because of a personal issue with Terry reminds Shellito of his own situation more than 40 years ago.
Shellito seemed certain to make the England squad for the 1966 World Cup on home soil until injury forced him out. He then watched from the stands as Alf Ramsey's team beat West Germany 4-2 in the final to lift the Jules Rimet trophy for the first and only time.
'It's probably the same thing as I experienced, but his pain is far greater,' he said. 'I think it's a shame for football, but I support Wayne Bridge 100 per cent. He's quite right to do what he's done because it would split the England camp if he went to the World Cup.'
At the age of just 14, Shellito was signed by Chelsea on the same day as fellow cockney Jimmy Greaves, just two months his senior. He made his international debut against Czechoslovakia in 1963, which was World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore's first game as skipper.