Mitch Nichols is a name some Australian football fans may have forgotten in recent years, but for those on the Gold Coast he remains an undisputed star.
After bursting onto the A-League scene as an 18-year-old with Brisbane Roar in 2007, the midfielder would go on to represent the Socceroos five times and also played briefly in Japan with Cerezo Osaka.
In 2017, however, he was arrested for cocaine possession at a Sydney nightclub and missed out on a move to Europe as a result.
Following short stints with Perth Glory and Wellington Phoenix, Nichols returned to his place of birth in 2019 as a surprise signing for Gold Coast Knights.
The move would prove to be a fruitful one as he was able to settle and helped the club win the Queensland National Premier League championship by the end of that year.
Two years on and Nichols remains at the heart of a Knights side looking to make a fairytale run in the FFA Cup.
On Wednesday night, they travel to Cairns to face Edge Hill United in a round of 32 clash and based on their last outing, the club and its star man, are ready to step up.
Against current Queensland NPL leaders Peninsula Power on Saturday, the Knights staged a late fightback to claim a 3-2 victory. Nichols not only claimed the assist for a stunning winner, but was involved in all three goals as he flexed his muscle in the middle of the pitch.
For interim coach Max Wragg, having a former Socceroo like Nichols in his squad is invaluable, with the Knights winning four of their last five games.
"He (Nichols) is very important. I thought he was excellent on Saturday. He's one of our leaders out there and when he steps up it has a ricochet effect on the rest of the players," Wragg told Sporting News.
"He's vital for us and he's been vital all season. He's someone we need out there as much as we can.
"He's got a lot of really good pedigree and had a great career. You take ups and downs in football but he's determined to play and we're delighted he's on our team.
"Having Mitch out there is great for the rest of the players because I'm sure a few of the younger ones look up to him as well.
"This is home for him. He's been all around but he's at that age now where he's settling down a bit and we're really fortunate to have him here at the Knights."
Wragg is currently holding down the fort as coach with another ex-Socceroo in the form of Scott McDonald set to take charge next season.
Having previously worked as a technical director for the Knights, Wragg has found the shift to his new role a relatively straight forward one with the club's recent record suggesting he's found a winning formula.
"It was quite easy for me to come in as I knew all the players beforehand anyway," he said.
"The main thing was to get the players in the right headspace. We know what they can do. It was just about bringing that belief back a little bit."
The Knights have never made it past the round of 32 in the FFA Cup but will be favourites against Edge Hill - a community club based in far north Queensland.
"A lot of it is how we perform on the night. We need to get the players in the right mindset. It's a big occasion for the club," Wragg said.
While Wragg was quick to stress all of his players will offer a threat come Wednesday night, Nichols is a name and player still very much capable of standing out, even if he has been forgotten by some.