Two of the Wolves' backroom staff who have worked as closely as most with the retiring Matt Murray are head of the medical department Steve Kemp and goalkeeping coach Pat Mountain.
As events have transpired, Murray would of course have preferred to have spent more time with Mountain than Kemp, albeit that's nothing personal!
But those long hours on the treatment room or on the road heading to various appointments with specialists and consultants have helped form a bond between Kemp and the goalkeeper who he always hoped would one day return to fitness.
Ultimately it wasn't to be, leaving Kemp sharing the general sadness at the premature end to the 29-year-old's career.
"I think Matt's retirement will be a massive loss for the club," he says.
"He is one of the biggest characters, if not the biggest, over the last five years.
"As a character he's always looking out for new players when they come in or players who get injured or are struggling.
"He's always the first one who goes to speak to them.
"He's a credit to himself and his family and hopefully he'll be able to stay involved with Wolves which would be fantastic for the club.
"It's a brave and mature decision and also leaves the option for the knee continuing to improve without the pressure of playing football.
"We are all devastated at the decision but also pleased that he could open the next chapter in his life and move on.
"Whatever he chooses to do, whether in coaching or sports science, I am sure he will make a big success of it."
It is problems with his patella tendon first ruptured playing for Hereford against MK Dons almost two years ago which has signalled the end to Murray's Wolves career.
The injury resurfaced as he made his comeback for the reserves against Birmingham last November, but even then the affable gloveman had returned to the brink of fitness in recent weeks only to realise it was not to be.
With Murray having overcome several serious problems prior to the ruptured patella tendon, Kemp believes he had more chance than most of coming through the setback.
"If anyone was going to get back from this injury it was Matt Murray," he said.
"He had his stress fracture of the foot which failed and he got back when a lot of players would have retired.
"He did his cruciate which had one of the most unheard of complications and he got back from that.
"Unfortunately this injury just seems to be a big step too far.
"Matt knows and we all know that there's nothing more anyone could have done.
"We didn't cut any corners and he didn't shirk any sessions - he's been the first one in at the training ground and last to leave.
"But it was an horrific injury.
"We went to arguably the best surgeon in the country to get it sorted and unfortunately that failed a couple of times.
"We tried conservative management and a different approach and Matt gave it every single chance and we went to different specialists to try and get the chance to succeed.
"Unfortunately we got to the stage where the risks outweigh the gains and Matt's got to think about his family and his future rather than the short term goal of playing football.
"It's nearly two years since he originally injured his patella tendon.
"He's come back from it twice and got to a good stage of rehab, the last time being the reserve match last November and breaking down.
"He'd got to the late stage of rehab again and it's that period when he's doing all the end-stage keeping and end-stage kicking that his body can't cope with it.
"Rather than pushing him until it breaks again we've had to look at it with Matt and realise it's probably not going to respond to the rigours of professional football.
"There's nothing else we could have done."
That's a view shared by Mountain, who has spent the last two years since arriving at Molineux always hoping Murray would add his undoubted quality to an already well-stocked goalkeeping department.
The sessions Murray was able to join were sadly few and far between, but will be happily remembered by Mountain for the keeper's "infectious enthusiasm".
"This is Matt's decision and he knows he's done everything he can to get back to where he can," says Mountain.
"The club have supported him all the way and everyone has helped him and unfortunately it just wasn't to be.
"It's sad news not only for Matt but also the club as well because he's a great personality to have around the place.
"He's also a fantastic goalkeeper as well.
"When he came out and trained with the senior boys his enthusiasm was infectious and lifted the session and got everyone going.
"He's also been fantastic with the young goalkeepers when he's trained with them giving them advice and encouragement.
"He's had a terrible time and I can't think why he's deserved it.
"If anyone deserved to get back fit because of the work he'd put in then it would be Matt Murray.
"The effort he put into his football and his rehabilitation was phenomenal.
"The medical staff have been great in supporting him but he's also supported himself by putting so much work in to get fit.
"It had been going well again this pre-season probably up until a couple of weeks ago but it's come to the stage when the decision has been made."
Where next then for the England-under-21 international who would surely have trousered a clutch of senior caps had he not been so afflicted by injuries?
There are several options, and Mountain believes the next stage of Murray's career will be approached in exactly the same enthusiastic and determined manner as the last.
"What he's going to do next I don't know," he explains.
"He's got a few options open to him and I'm sure he'll want a bit of time to think about it.
"He'll be welcome at Wolves any time I'm sure.
"And he'll be more than welcome to come out to training when he can because he's a magnificent character.
"I know everyone says it but it's true.
"And you can tell that by the way everyone has been talking about him and the sadness everyone feels.
"It's a footballing career ended early, but the character, enthusiasm and spirit of Matt Murray is still going strong.
"It's a big disappointment for him but knowing Matt and his personality it will be, 'right, what am I going to do next'?
"And he'll embrace that with the same enthusiasm that he embraced his work here."
