John Barnes arrives for our chat with a spring in his step, suited and booted having just got to Wembley Stadium for the latest edition of the Grassroots Football Awards.
'You're looking summery,' he says, as we step out of the ceremony room for a quick chat. He adds that he got a car down from Liverpool this morning and will be heading back up after the Community Shield.
It's a blazing hot day in the capital. Liverpool are looking to win their first trophy of the new season with their flashy new signings in their starting line-up (spoiler: they lost) and Crystal Palace are trying to put their pain of being kicked out of the Europa League behind them for at least 90 minutes, 24 hours before they will find out the result of their appeal (spoiler: they lost too).