Greg Halford on Colchester United, Premier League and beyond

Indeed, it was in Colchester United’s first-ever season in English football’s second tier that the home-grown youngster really blossomed, as both Halford and the U’s rode on the crest of a wave.

While Colchester’s beloved but decrepit old home was coming towards the end of its lifespan in that special 2006-07 season for the club, Halford’s career was very much in its infancy – and he was about to reach the very top of the game.

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The 39-year-old went on to become a Premier League player but still recalls those days with the U’s with fondness.

“I was only at Colchester for six months in the Championship but the club being there, alongside Southend as well at that time, they were special times,” he recalls.

“We had a real close-knit group and that’s what got us over the line from League One and then continued, into the Championship.

“We took it by storm and I think, had we kept a couple more players during the transfer window, who knows what it could have been?

“I know the club was looking into potential stadium sharing if we were to go up. It wasn’t to be, but they were great times.

“The players I played with at Colchester made me who I am.”

As a child, Halford had cheered Colchester from the Layer Road terraces so to progress through the club’s youth ranks and play there was poignant for the Chelmsford-born player.

“Layer Road was somewhere special,” said Halford, who made his senior U’s debut in 2003.

“The pitch was always great – Dave (Blacknall) the groundsman did a fantastic job.

“They don’t make grounds like that anymore, when the fans are right on top of you and with the small changing rooms.

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“We made it our little fortress and teams just hated coming there.

“On top of that, we played decent football and blew teams away, so they were special times.

“It was hard going from somewhere like Layer Road to first the Madejski and then the Stadium of Light.

“It took a while to get used to that being my home.”

Halford’s vibrant performances for Colchester caught the eye, as he helped the club climb to its highest-ever position.

Gaining a reputation as a utility man capable of impressing in a plethora of positions, he helped the U’s win promotion as League One runners-up under Phil Parkinson before continuing to impress in the Championship.

Halford eventually left Colchester to join Premier League side Reading in January 2007 for £2.5m, still the highest transfer fee the U’s have received for any of their players.

Since then, the 39-year-old has played for a host of clubs including Sunderland, Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Portsmouth, racking up more than 550 career appearances and commanding millions of pounds in transfer fees.

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“My 20-year professional career has been amazing, to learn and to grow and to become the person that I am today, it would never have happened without football,” said Halford, who earned four England Under-21 caps.

“It has been a long road with a lot of ups and downs.

“I’m very proud of what I’ve been able to achieve and do in the game.

“I would have liked to have been able to do more and wasn’t able to progress as much as I would have liked but I’m still very proud of what I’ve achieved.”

Last year, Halford revealed how he discovered he was on the autism spectrum after his son was diagnosed.

Since then, he has spoken openly about neurodiversity, helping to increase awareness of the condition.

“The autism is very close to my heart,” he said.

“Now that I’ve stopped professional football, I will be looking to get more involved in the charity for that.

“I do a number of charity games and I know Harvey from So Solid Crew – I’ve done loads with him.

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“I’m now part of the celebrity charity where we do maybe four a month, at the minute.

“It’s about getting awareness for everything.

“Having autism doesn’t keep you in a box.

“You can still do anything you want to do – you just have to push those boundaries a little bit.

“My parents pushed boundaries for me; they got me into team sports as early as two and that obviously helped with my career.

“There’s nothing else like sport – being part of a team, making friends, being social with other people.

“You just don’t get it anywhere else.

“I was fortunate enough to have options, not just football.

“I could have also gone into rugby or athletics but I made the right decision coming into football and I’ve met some great people along the way.”

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Halford played for Pitching In Isthmian League side Hashtag United last season but is not yet sure where his next move will be and whether it will be full-time or part-time.

“I don’t know what’s next for me yet,” added Halford, who has his own clothing companies.

“I’ve had a couple of offers to go back into full-time football.

“I’m 40 this year and I don’t know whether I want to batter my body anymore.

“I will continue to play football but it’s a decision that I need to make, whether it’s going to be full-time or part-time.

“There’s a couple of coaching roles I could take up but I’ve got a couple of businesses as well.

“If I was to go into coaching, I would want to give it my all.”