In 1982, eight Bristol City players agreed to the termination of their contracts in a bid to help the Robins avoid liquidation and entered club folklore as the 'Ashton Gate Eight'.
However, in 2018 four products of the Robins' youth academy are making their way in the game thanks in no small part to what has so far been fruitful loan spells with Torquay United, currently under the guidance of Gary Johnson - father of current Bristol City manager Lee.
The most senior of the quartet - Wales Under-21 midfielder Connor Lemonheigh-Evans - is currently enjoying his second loan spell at Plainmoor after linking up with the Gulls last season under Johnson senior's predecessor Gary Owers - where he joined up with another Robins academy graduate George Dowling.
Lemonheigh-Evans, who had previously played under Owers at Bath City, made 15 appearances for United and scored once - with a stunning long range strike against Woking. He was also voted as the Man of the Match in a 1-0 over FC Halifax Town in April 2018, as the Gulls were unable to retain their National League status.
Another two players who were first brought to Plainmoor by Owers, but have continued to excel under Gary Johnson, are midfield duo Opi Edwards and Jake Andrews.
The pair made their respective debuts at home to Hemel Hempstead Town, which the Gulls won 2-0 - a game in which Andrews provided their assist for Jamie Reid's opening goal and Edwards also impressed.
Andrews was a player who was no stranger to Johnson senior, as he had a stint on loan under him at Cheltenham Town towards the end of last season - in a spell in which he made seven appearances and scored once. Edwards appeared in the National League and the National League South in the 2017-18 with Solihull Moors and Bath City respectively.
They've since built on that display, as Andrews has twice found in the target in the FA Cup second and third qualifying rounds against Lymington Town and Brightlingsea Regent.
Another player who has also joined the Gulls from Bristol City following Johnson's arrival is striker Saikou Janneh.
Born in Gambia, Janneh - who has already had a taste of non-league football with a range of sides including Clevedon Town and Cadbury Heath. He made an immediate impact when he came on as a substitute to make his debut against Woking - in a game that Johnson described as a 'six-pointer' - and he helped stretch the Cards defence and, on another day, could have found the target himself.
As things currently stand, Lemonheigh-Evans will be remaining with United until the festive period and Andrews and Edwards agreed a further extension to their original loan deals, Janneh's stay also looks set to be extended as some point in the near to distant future.
With the appointment of Johnson senior now at the helm at Plainmoor, the relationship between the two clubs looks set to continue.
Footnote: Two of the 'Ashton Gate Eight' found their way to Plainmoor in the 1981-82 season, in the form of Trevor Tainton and David Rodgers who experienced brief spells with the Gulls under Frank O'Farrell after their contracts with the Robins were terminated.
