Towards the end of my career, it was so important that someone noticed those things about me.

Nigel knew I was planning to retire at the end of the season and told me he’d like to keep me on as a coach at the club.

“Well, I need to think about it…”

Looking back now, that was crazy. Someone was giving me an opportunity to take the next step in my career. I’d been PFA Chairman, and was looking at going into the administration side of football. But, if you’re not playing, the next best step is coaching and managing.

Actually, why am I thinking about it?

I joined the coaching staff straight away – while I was still a player. Every day for the rest of that season, I had an education in how a manager works with his staff. I was in every meeting.

Watching, listening, making notes upon notes. I saw how they reacted to the weekend. How they planned the week and month ahead. How they handled individual players. How they dealt with elements of the game they liked or didn’t like.

All of it was played out in front of me. It was basically an apprenticeship.

That was when I knew, this is exactly what I want to be. What I want to do.

“As a new manager you’re constantly outside of your comfort zone. Always asking yourself, is this right?”

So when Charlton offered me the manager’s job, this time I didn’t hesitate.

I was excited, but I’ll be honest with you – I was quite apprehensive as well. Charlton hadn’t won a league game in two months when I arrived. When you go in at a time like that, everyone’s looking at you for direction. Players. Staff.

It was something I wasn’t used to.

The first six months were tough. But it’s my first game that really stands out. And probably not for the reasons you’re thinking.

We were playing Plymouth at home. I’d run through what I was going to say to the players before the game the night before – but, when it came to it, I didn’t say what I wrote down. It just came from the heart.