BARNSLEY will play their 5,000th ever game on Saturday and, as the club’s top appearance-maker, I have been asked to write a column.

When I first came down here from the north east in 1962, all I wanted was to be a professional footballer. That was my dream, and Barnsley Football Club made it come true. To go on and have my name on the stand and hold the record for appearances – well, that’s just something special. It feels fantastic to have that honour because when your whole ambition is to play football, and you get that chance with a club like Barnsley, there’s no better feeling.

It was the best decision I ever made.

People ask me all the time if my appearance record will ever be broken, but I honestly don’t think it will. The game has changed so much, and players move on quicker than they used to.

Agents have a huge influence now, and footballers don’t tend to stay at one club for as long as they did in my day. So, if you’re asking for a straight answer – no, I don’t think the record will be broken, and to be honest, I hope it isn’t.

It’s a great honour, and I loved every moment of my time here.

It wasn’t easy, though. I spent four years playing in the Central League reserves before I got my first-team opportunity.

There was so much competition for places, and I had to be patient.

My debut came against Halifax Town, and from there, I never looked back.

People always mention the number of appearances I made, but when you count those years in the reserves as well, it’s even more.

That just shows how tough it was to break through in those days.

We got promoted one year, and we were over the moon.

That feeling of achieving something with the club was special.

But football has changed in a big way now, from the facilities to the way the game is played.

It’s all moved forward, and it’s fantastic to see Barnsley FC growing in every way.

For so many people in this town, Barnsley FC is everything. Even now, as an ex-player, it means the world to me.

A defeat still lingers until the next match, and I know the supporters feel the same.

Whether we win or lose, the club is the heart of the town, and it always will be.

Up the Reds!