Gerry turned down Leeds to be a regular at Robins
Money will be the main consideration when players weigh up a move during this transfer window.
It’s highly unusual to find someone who puts play before pay these days.
Gerry Sweeney had already proved that getting a game was his main consideration before he left Morton for Bristol City in 1971.
But he decided to join the Robins over Leeds United because he believed they offered the best chance of first-team football.
January was a significant month at the start of Gerry’s professional career.
Unfortunately, it saw him knocked out of two cups within a fortnight, but that didn’t have a lasting impact.
He recalled: “I had been with Celtic as a teenager, where I played in midfield.
“I wasn’t able to make it out of the reserves because there were so many talented players in that position.
“My time there did give me the chance to play with men like Billy Mcneill and Bobby Lennox.
“We got some big crowds for reserve matches, and that stood me in good stead.
“I was released by Celtic, and went to play junior football with Renfrew.
“Morton then made me an offer and I think Jim Kennedy, the former Celtic player who was at Cappielow, might have recommended me.
“I agreed to join them in September, 1966, but they left me at Renfrew while we were still in the Junior Cup.
“After being knocked out, I went straight into Morton’s first team for a game against Raith Rovers at the start of 1967.
“Joe Mason scored to give us a 1-0 win. He could score all sorts of goals. We also had Joe Harper – a great player and a great lad off the park.
“My second game was a Scottish Cup tie against Clyde. They scored after 25 seconds and that was me out of another competition.”
“However, Morton were promoted just after I joined and we finished sixth the next season.
“That led to us playing against Chelsea in the Inter-cities Fairs Cup.
“We also reached the Scottish Cup semi-final against Hearts, but lost in a replay.”
Gerry was capped by the Scottish League against Ireland at Ibrox in 1969.
He said: “I still have the shirt on my wall.
“My main memory is of John Greig calling us together and telling some funny stories about Willie Johnston.
“It broke the ice for guys from different teams, and I thought it was great captaincy.”
In January, 1971, Morton coach, Eric Smith, left for a team in Cyprus, and club supremo, Hal Stewart, decided to advertise for a manger.
Gerry said: “Bobby Collins was playing with us, and he used to organise a lot of the training.
“One day, he was away at an appointment. We decided we’d have a game among ourselves.
“When Bobby found out, he gave us a ticking off. He said there were enough senior professionals to organise a proper session.
“I started at left-wing with Morton, then I was asked to play at left-back during an injury crisis.
“I went on to play in almost every position, even 25 minutes in goal against Kilmarnock.” Gerry was sold in the summer of 1971. He said: “I think Morton needed some money,and Bristol City came in with an offer.
“I also spoke to Don Revie at Leeds. He said if I didn’t make the first-team, he’d release me and let me come back to Scotland.
“They had Billy Bremner and Johnny Giles, so I didn’t see much prospect of playing and agreed to join City.
“When I left Morton, I thought I’d really miss the camaraderie of a really good set of lads.
“But I found a very similar atmosphere at Ashton Gate, and a lot of fellow Scots.”
Gerry, now 75, played more than 500 games for Bristol City, and he was one of eight players who tore up their contracts to let the club survive a financial crisis in 1982.
He went on to have coaching jobs before working as a postman.