Once upon a time clubs in mainland Europe would cast envious glances in the direction of the best footballers on British shores. Some went further and offered them contracts to convince them to go and play in hitherto unlikely destinations like Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and, of course, the USA with its much feted if short-lived NASL.

Changed days indeed from times when the English game wasn’t awash with cash as it is now and our stars would readily overcome their natural insularity to seek lucrative pay-days in foreign lands – especially when higher-earner tax rates were so onerous in 1970s Britain.

Today’s Vintage gallery features a selection of the highest profile English ex-pats during the late 1970s.