When Anthony Bolton – the star manager with a sparkling 28-year record – announced in 2009 that he was coming out of retirement to launch a China fund the excitement was palpable.
Such was his legendary status – at least in the UK – that commentators at the time likened Mr Bolton’s return to that of Michael Jordan, the US basketball superstar who came out retirement after an 18-month lay-off in 1995 to once again play for the Chicago Bulls.
There unfortunately the parallels – if indeed there were any – end. While the return of MJ, as he became known, was filled with silverware and universally acknowledged to be a success, AB’s was not.