Mark Wilson is approaching the 1,000th game of an extraordinary career in non-league football which has seen him play against Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand, get sacked for setting himself on fire on a team bus and now return to hometown club Worsbrough Bridge.
The 46-year-old from Dodworth has been involved in non-league football for almost 30 years. He has played 997 matches from the Conference, now the National League, down to the tenth tier where he is currently fighting a relegation battle with Worsbrough, who won at Emley this week.
The self-employed builder said: "I love playing, being involved in the dressing room and giving everything on the pitch. I want to play as long as I can and I would love to get to 50 while still playing. I will know when it is the right time to stop. I do like a drink, as anyone who has played with me will know, but I have had a pretty good lifestyle and kept myself fit. It's a rarity to have someone my age still playing at this level. I don't see many others.
"I generally don't tell the younger lads how old I am because they all say: 'why are you still playing?' I play with and against quite a few players whose dads I used to play with and against. Playing 1,000 games would be a proud achievement. If I had added together all the Sunday League matches, over35 and over45 games and pre-season friendlies, I think there would be another 1,000."
Wilson was an apprentice at Rotherham United and Huddersfield Town before joining Frickley Athletic, managed by Barnsley FC legend Ronnie Glavin who he describes as 'my mentor' but adds: 'we didn't see eye to eye at first and he sacked me for going out drinking all the time'.
Wilson moved on to Bradford Park Avenue but, after their new manager was unimpressed by him dancing up and down the aisle of the team bus in a Ronald Reagan mask he had brought back from a weekend in Blackpool, he moved on again. He says: "I am a bit of a joker in the dressing room and on the bus and I get up to some silly antics. But I am not as bad now as I used to be."
He then linked up again with Glavin at AFC Emley where he spent eight years which included his career highlight of an FA Cup tie against West Ham at Upton Park."They were managed by Harry Redknapp and they had Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand and Eyal Berkovic. I got away with elbowing Tim Breacker in the face and I did a tackle on David Unsworth which I definitely would have been sent off for nowadays. It was a good day though. It's 20 years ago this January coming."
Wilson then moved on to Ossett Town, Ossett Albion and Harrogate Town where he was sacked after an incident on the bus. He said: "I used to get a lighter and deodorant can and make a flamethrower down the middle of the bus. I once singed all my bodily hair and set some clothing on fire. The FA heard about it and I got sacked. I appealed but they said: 'do you really think you have got a case?'"
Wilson also played for Buxton, Glapwell, Grantham and Worksop Town, where he again played under Glavin and reached the quarter-final of the FA Trophy. He later ventured into coaching as assistant manager of Stocksbridge Park Steels before cutting a spell as a Retford player short to help Worsbrough in a relegation fight two years ago.He was then appointed manager of Retford but left earlier this season and has returned to play for Bridge under friend Lee Morris who is the manager at Park Road.
His 997th game took place on Wednesday, ironically against his former club AFC Emley and resulted in a superb 3-1 win for Worsbrough. The hosts took the lead in the first minute of the second half but scored an own goal before Josh McKeegan and James Handley won it. Bridge are now 19th in the table out of 22 teams, with 14 points from 16 games. Wilson also plays for Wombwell Main in the Barnsley Sunday League.
