Echo of past of showy defence player (9)
I believe the answer is:
flashback
'echo of past' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both related to communication as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'showy defence player' is the wordplay.
'showy' becomes 'flash' (I've seen this before).
'defence player' becomes 'back' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'flash'+'back'='FLASHBACK'
'of' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for flashback that I've seen before include "Unexpected but vivid recall of a past experience" , "Sudden recall" , "Past scene inserted into a film's chronology" , "Film scene from an earlier time" , "(Transition to) earlier scene" .)