"Take me out of a competitive environment and I'm a totally different person, very reserved.

"I'm quiet and don't really lose my temper. A lot of footballers are like that."

It is a decade since Dicks kicked a ball – or a striker – in anger but that tag, he admits, will never leave him.

"I tried my heart out when I was at West Ham and Liverpool, that's the only way I knew how," he said.

"The way I played you are going to get a reputation, and that will stay with me I suppose.

"People will remember me for how I played, but I'm glad they will be able to.

"No disrespect to other players, but in 20 years' time people are not going to remember most of them.

"I wasn't dirty – I never went out to hurt anybody. I just wanted to win."

Dicks learned in a tough school. He served his apprenticeship at Birmingham City under disciplinarian Ron Saunders, before a £300,000 switch to West Ham in 1988.

"There was some real characters there – Tony Coton, Mick Harford and Mark Dennis, so you learned a few things about life," says Dicks.

"When we did pre-season we'd train in the morning, have five pints for lunch and come back in the afternoon for a 10-mile run.

"It is a different world now, though, and I feel sad when I see another player trying to get a fellow professional sent-off.

"There's a lot of con-men in the game now. I had total respect for Mark Hughes, how he played the game.

"He was such a powerful guy, so physically strong, but you knew that if you gave him a whack, and I did, he'd get up and give you a whack back.

"I always respected that about him. I didn't mind that one bit. He didn't moan or carp like Alan Shearer or Roy Keane.

Those two never stopped moaning and whingeing like old grandmothers when you tackled them. If you dished it out like Keane did then you've got to accept it back, but he never wanted to."

When you mention the knee injury that finished his career at 29, he shakes his head and smiles ruefully.

"I always felt cheated that I didn't have more time playing," he says. "When I retired, that was it – nobody wanted to know.

"It was hard to swallow, but so many players in the game have faced my situation and I was very bitter about it.

"I didn't choose to retire, the decision was made for me by West Ham.

"They got the hump when my knee went. They wanted to pay me off and kick me out but I refused because I wanted to play on.

"I had the surgery and when I recovered, I played 12 more games before Harry Redknapp picked me as left wing-back against Charlton.

"I'd never played that position before in my life and he knew it. I realised then the writing was on the wall.

"When I quit West Ham I had enough money in the bank to never work again. But, in 2001, I got divorced so I decided to become a professional golfer.

"I'd been playing since I first injured my knee when I was 22, the doctor had told me that walking would be good for it.

"By the time I was 26 I was playing off scratch and had the same coach as Colin Montgomery.

"I even shot a couple of holes-in-one – which can be an expensive habit when you're playing with 20 other people and you have to buy them all a drink.

"Golf's meant to be a gentleman's sport but I tended to lose my rag when I fluffed a shot. I ended up smashing a load of clubs.

"That's me, though – I like to do things properly and I get frustrated if things aren't working out.

"I'd hit 600 balls a day, but golf never game me the same buzz. Anyway, my knee eventually ended that career as well.

"It started swelling up so much I couldn't play more than nine or 10 holes."

Julian is in Lancashire to promote The Julian Dicks Junior Football Alliance.

He is working with junior leagues across England, bidding to raise financial support and increase the awareness of grass-roots football.

"I still miss it badly, and I remember how hard it was to cope with injury," he said.

"You're just brushed aside when you're injured, any player will tell you that.

"If you're not involved every day then managers don't want to know you.

"When I had my first knee op I was out for 14 months.

"The surgeon told me I had only a 50-50 chance of playing again – I thought my life was over.

"That's the biggest gap in your life when it all ends. Trouble is, you never think it is going to end. Overnight the wages and the lifestyle disappear, but that honestly wasn't a problem to me.

"It was not been able to play that hurt me most.

"I don't miss training, the banter or the players, or anything else for that matter. What I do miss is the supporters.

"I miss them most because they are the fabric of the club, not the players."

The biggest part of Dicks' football life was at West Ham United, voted player of the year four times in his two spells at Upton Park.

The Hammers dominated the headlines following the violence at their Carling Cup tie against bitter rivals Millwall – and Dicks too has a tale to tell about the tasty atmosphere on the terraces.

"I had 11 years there, but from the first day I hit it off with the fans, and that's special you know," he said.

"I had more highs than lows at West Ham, but even though they were struggling to stop up, every game would be a sell-out.

"Some clubs are like that, just demand that fierce loyalty. I had my testimonial against Millwall at the Old Den.

"I got abuse from the first whistle to the last. I should have known what was coming because the time before I had a house brick thrown at me.

"It whacked me on the elbow. West Ham won 1-0 and at full-time we went up the other end to clap our fans.

"It was mental. We got pelted with coins, bottles, stones and and seats. It was another world then."
When Graeme Souness brought Dicks to Liverpool from West Ham in 1993, it was a transfer that shocked Anfield supporters – and Dicks too.

"It sounds mad, but I didn't want to go to Liverpool," he says. I was perfectly happy at West Ham.

"Harry Redknapp, who was then Billy Bonds' assistant, said, 'If you want to go to Liverpool I can get you the move'.

"I thought, 'There's something wrong here, they want me to go'.

"The next day I met Graeme Souness at Haydock Park hotel and signed for the one of the greatest clubs in the world.

"Liverpool was huge, I didn't quite realise how big it was. It wasn't the best time in my career, but what a privilege to play for that club.

"I made my debut against Everton and I think I was the last player to score in front of the Kop before seating came in – against Ipswich.

"There I was, strapping my boots on next to Ian Rush, John Barnes and Ronnie Whelan.

"They were awesome footballers, then Robbie Fowler came in and scored a hat-trick in his first game against Fulham.

"Robbie was the best finisher I ever saw. He had this wonderful instinctive finish. When Graeme Souness resigned, Roy Evans took over and things went pear-shaped for me."

Dicks played 24 times for Liverpool before returning to West Ham a year later.

When he retired in 1999 he bought a pub, the Shepherd and Dog, near Colchester.

He said: "We had loads of football fans coming in just to say hello.

"Not just West Ham but Arsenal and Spurs too. That was nice. I always gave it my all, it didn't matter if it was playing football, golf or running a pub.

"I still miss playing. I'd play local football if my knee would allow it, but I know that's not going to happen. Football is my life, and from being a kid of six it was all I was interested in."

"Most lads want to be a professional footballer. It was the dream for me and for all the bookings, red cards and injuries, I loved my career.

"I wouldn't change it for anything because it all happened for a reason and I'm glad it did."