Fry was manager at London Road when he signed midfielder Bullard from West Ham on a free transfer in 2001 before selling him to Wigan for £275,000 18 months later.

He said: 'Jimmy was playing alternate games about once a month for West Ham when we took him on. I knew he'd be good, but I didn't expect him to get an England call-up.

'But he deserves it. He's a great lad, a real bubbly character and he's turned into one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.

'Even when he had that serious injury last season, he was still full of beans.

'I'm absolutely delighted for him, his family and for Posh because it's a real feather in our cap to have given an England player his first opportunity in professional football.'

Source: teamtalk.com