The Record Breakers (Premier Division South)

Players who top the appearance records for their respective clubs (if anyone can fill in the gaps please let me know).

BEACONSFIELD TOWN

ROY GUMBS

Roy Gumbs played for Beaconsfield SYCOB as a striker from 1994 until 2007 when he moved to Slough Town.

He also made one international appearance for Anguilla against El Salvador in a World Cup qualifying match in February 2008.

Joined the Slough's coaching staff after retiring from playing in 2010.

CHESHAM UNITED

MARTIN BAGULEY – 600+

Goalkeeper who came through Chesham`s own ranks and also played for St Albans City.

DORCHESTER TOWN

DEREK CURTIS 458

Better known as `Dinkie` to Dorchester supporters, he played for the Magpies from 1951 until 1966.

The Weymouth-born centre-forward started out with Upwey & Broadwey FC in the Dorset League and he scored on his Western League debut for Dorchester against Chippenham Town in 1951 before spending two years on National Service.

When that was completed, he re-joined the Magpies in 1953 and went on to score 235 goals in 458 appearances before hanging his boots in 1966.

In 2005, he was voted as the club`s best-ever player.

FARNBOROUGH

BRIAN BROOME 529

Originally came through Camberley Town`s youth teams and also played in their first team against Farnborough, who he must have impressed on the day as they snapped him up in August 1980.

His last match was a 6-0 victory at Corby Town at the end of the 1993/94 Southern Premier Division title-winning season.

Boro fans will also recall him scoring what turned out to be the crucial fourth goal against Torquay United in the 1991/92 FA Cup.

As well as making over 500 appearances for Boro, he also scored 109 goals and also had spells with Aldershot Town, Wokingham Town – who he also managed - Basingstoke Town and Bracknell Town.

GOSPORT BOROUGH

TONY MAHONEY 756

Formerly with Brockenhurst, the centre-forward/turned centre-back notched up 768 appearances spanning three decades - the 1970’s, 80’s and early 90’s.

Amongst his honours with Boro were two successive Hampshire League titles in 1977 and 1978, along with promotion to the Southern Premier Division in 1985.

HARROW BOROUGH

LES CURRELL 582

Goalkeeper who had a couple of spells with Harrow having previously been with Wealdstone, Rayners Lane and Northwood.

Originally had two years as an apprentice at Chelsea.

HARTLEY WINTNEY

STEVE NOAKES

Steve Noakes featured regularly for Metropolitan Police for several seasons until joining the Row ahead of the 2014/15 season, taking on the captaincy.

His presence on the pitch, as well as his ability as a right-sided and central defender, helped guide Hartley Wintney from the Combined Counties League to the Southern League.

He was also instrumental in helping to secure several memorable cup wins, chipping in with several important goals.

Was appointed as assistant manager in September 2019.

HAYES & YEADING UNITED

(HAYES) REG LEATHER 653 – (YEADING) NORMAN FRAPE 457

Reg Leather joined Hayes in December 1975 from Yeading, where he had been since 1967.

A defender, this was the first of his three spells with the club, during which he made 637 appearances plus 16 off the bench.

He also had spells with Hillingdon Borough, Woking, Leatherhead, Wokingham, Egham Town, Brook House and Ruislip Manor before becoming player-coach at Brook House in 1999.

Norman or `Sid` Frape was a pacey winger with Yeading in the 1960s and early 70s who also had a eye for goal.

Trialled with Chelsea but spent the majority of his playing days with Ding.

HENDON

BILL FISHER 719

Inside forward (midfielder) who made his debut for Hendon in April 1941 against Metropolitan Police in the war time Hertfordshire & Middlesex League.

After the war, he continued with the Greens during their Athenian League days before retiring in 1963.

METROPOLITAN POLICE

PAT PROBERT 750

An outstanding footballer, Pat Probert represented the Met as a cadet starting as a left-winger but was later converted to the left side of defence where he excelled as a hard-tackling player.

He was captain of the Met team for a number of years and was a first-team player for many seasons in the Athenian and Isthmian Leagues.

He also represented the British Police national side on a number of occasions as well as his home County, Derbyshire.

In the force, Probert enjoyed a very successful and distinguished career, working in some high-profile locations and held the rank of Chief Superintendent before retirement in 1995.

He sadly passed away in October 2020.

POOLE TOWN

MARTYN JONES

Some dispute as to the record appearance holder for the Dolphins.

Goalkeeper Martyn Jones was thought to be the top man with 260 league appearances plus a good number of cup matches to take that total well over 300 in his nine years with the club.

He progressed from local football with Mercury Sports to develop into a top rate custodian for Poole and Dorchester Town for many years.

Inside left Dennis Pring played 306 league matches between 1961 and 1971, while current skipper Jamie Whisken is on 334 appearances in total prior to lockdown.

SALISBURY

BARRY FITCH 713

Defender who was born and brought up in Brighton where his footballing talent was spotted at an early age.

He played with junior side the Brighton Boys and was then signed for Brighton & Hove Albion.

In 1963, at the age of 18, he left Brighton to join Salisbury at its Victoria Park ground.

Until 1968 the club was in the Western League and had many successful seasons.

The club was then transferred to the Southern League where it faced tougher opposition, but Fitch remained a regular member of the starting XI until 1975.

SWINDON SUPERMARINE

CHRIS TAYLOR 378

Midfielder who started his career with neighbouring Swindon Town, where he made a handful of first-team appearances and also had a loan spell with Newport County.

A former England under-15 international, he had his first spell with Supermarine in 2006 until 2011 before going `down under` for a year to play for Dandenong Thunder.

Returned to play for Maidstone United, Cirencester Town and then back at `Marine.

TAUNTON TOWN

TONY PAYNE 816

Phenomenally loyal midfield player who spent almost 19 years with Taunton and was later assistant manager.

Apart from making over 800 appearances, he also chipped in with more than 200 goals.

TIVERTON TOWN

NEIL SAUNDERS 650

Consistent performances at left-back and later centre-back saw Neil Saunders as one of the most highly regarded footballers not just at Tiverton but throughout the West Country region.

Signed from Crediton United in 1988, he spent one season playing in the Conference for Bath City in the mid-1990s but was otherwise very much a part of the Ladysmead furniture throughout his playing career and played in all three of the club’s FA Vase finals and captained the side in 1999.

WESTON-SUPER-MARE

HARRY THOMAS 710

Apart from making over 700 appearances, Harry Thomas eventually managed the Seagulls between 1984 and 1989 and was associated with the club for 25 years.

WIMBORNE TOWN

JAMIE STURGESS 600+

Forward who scored two goals in Wimborne`s 1992 FA Vase Final win over Guiseley.

The son of Mick Sturgess, who was on the management team at Wimborne at the time, Janie went on to make over 600 appearances in a long career with the Magpies, who he later also coached.

YATE TOWN

GARY HEWLETT

A former Mangotsfield United and Yate midfielder who also had a spell as Yate`s joint manager alongside Richard Thompson in 1999/2000.