(As a personal aside, starting as a 16 year old in senior football, I was very fortunate to play along side an old timer by the name of Colin Rees ... a little pearl of wisdom here, a little pearl of wisdom there, goes miles further than a shout from the touchline).
Yes, I played with Colin as well and you're quite right. A very chatty guy was Colin and he had huge experience compared to us. He was at Leeds United under Don Revie when that club was probably #1 in the country and could field eleven internationals with others on the bench and a couple not even in the matchday squad!! They had the likes of Hunter, Bremner, Giles, Madely, Lorimer, Jones, Yorath, Joe Jordan, keepers Sprake and Harvey, Alan Clarke, Mick Bates, Trevor Cherry and others I can't think of right now. As I said, internationals all.
Colin, as a young player, was offered an extended contract by Revie but, understandably, felt that his path would be blocked by literally an array of top footballing talent, so he opted out and missed his chance of fame and fortune. He told me it was the biggest regret of his life. We trained and played together (by then I had 'retired' as a regular player) and he became a good mate, helping me with some work on my house in his capacity as a builder.
But he certainly helped the younger players with his experience and that's what all senior pros should be doing at any club. Colin and I used to stand with about a dozen or so of our pals on the North Bank at the Vetch and exchange heated opinions about what was going on. He knew his football did Colin. He had a wise head as well. Just before going to live abroad, at a particularly grim game at the Vetch, I mentioned that I wouldn't miss it so bad was our football. "Maybe not," he replied, "but you'll miss the day". He was so right. I did miss the occasion and I did miss my mates. We since lost touch and the last time we met was when he gave me a lift to the Liberty as I was walking from my car - and I lost his phone number. Very much hope he's doing well.