If not Iridium Flare, them what?

Wasn't it Albert who wrote:
Last night (12/8) at 2215 BST (a few minutes after the ISS pass) I saw what
looked for all the world like an Iridium Flare at about Mag -1 in the east
at about 60 degs alt. It was at max brightness when I first noticed it and
then gradually faded away heading North.

Checking Heavens Above for my location in Crawley, West Sussex showed none
for that time (2344 was the only one). So if it was not an IF, what else
might it have been? A retired Iridium Satellite perhaps?

There are lots of satellites that can flare. The Iridium flares are the
only ones that you hear much about because they happen to be
predictable. The orientation of other satellites is not known in advance
with sufficient accuracy to determine the point on the ground that is
illuminated by the light reflected off their panels.

--
Mike Williams
Gentleman of Leisure