TWENTY-ONE years. Seventeen clubs. Hundreds of goals. And at the grand old age of 37, Scott Rendell is still going strong.
The former Peterborough United and Cambridge United striker scored 28 times to fire AFC Totton into Southern Premier South in 202223 and last season posted an even more impressive tally of 34 as the ambitious Stags finished second to Chesham United before losing in the play-offs.
By his own admission, Rendell never imagined he’d stay in the game so long. Here he reveals the “horrible” centre-half who made him contemplate quitting as a teenager, recalls the gliding wing wizard who took his breath away at Posh and explains why the Abbey captured his heart...
FIRST CLUB
Aldershot, back in 2003. I’d been at Brentford as a kid and came out at 15. I finished school, and didn’t really know what to do next when one of my pals said ‘I’ve got a trial with the academy at Aldershot, why don’t you come along?’. I went down, got signed and before you know it I was making my debut in the Conference just before my 17th birthday.
It was a different world back then. I’m a tall boy but I’ve never had the broadest frame and some of the people I was playing against were kicking lumps out of me. It was an eye-opener, but one that I enjoyed and learned a lot from.
BEST MANAGER
I’ve got a couple. I joined Reading on a three-year scholarship not long after making my debut for Aldershot and my academy manager there was Brendan Rodgers.
As a young player coming out of Non-League, he was brilliant. The way he treated you as a person. The attention to detail, especially tactically. Every training session you learned something new, which was amazing at such a young age.
The other one is Gary Waddock, who I was with at Wycombe and Aldershot. He’s an elite coach with great knowledge of the game but his man-management tops anything I’ve ever seen or experienced in football.
This story is from the July 21, 2024 edition of The Non-League Football Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 21, 2024 edition of The Non-League Football Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
WE HAD A NUTTY ALMOND PARTY!
Roy Hamilton tells JOHN LYONS about the days when Almondsbury Greenway became a big fish in Non-League waters...
VILLAGERS ARE ON TO A SHAW THING
THERE'S no place like home, as the old saying goes.
DABBER JON GETS A DABBLE - AT 27!
SECOND time around, Jon Moran's reaction a potentially career-ending knee injury was to step away from football altogether.
LEON'S LATE, LATE SHOW
Lobjoit hat-trick stuns the Daniels
BLUES STEAL POINT IN DRAMATIC FINISH
BILLERICAY Town nicked a remarkable point in second half stoppage time with two late, late goals in this rip-roaring top-of-the-table clash.
BOSS GRAY HAS GOT HIS MOJO BACK AT COLLIERS
NICKY Gray is relishing a return to the dugout after revealing an offer from Ashington ‘ticked a lot of boxes’.
LAMBS SO SAVAGE ON SILKMEN!
ANDY Peaks’ backto-back Tamworth inflicted the first defeat of the season on Robbie Savage’s Macclesfield to progress into the first round for the first time in just over a decade after an enthralling cup tie.
WE JUST LOVED OUR 'BIGG DAY
OLLIE PEARCE'S brace and a goal from Dipo Akinyemi guided York City to a resounding victory over underdogs Biggleswade.
BRAKES ARE HOLLERING!
PAUL HOLLERAN jokes 'it was never meant to be like this' as he approaches 15 years in charge of National League North high-flyers Leamington - and says producing players is what keeps him motivated.
JOHNNO'S MACHINE KEEPS ON CHURNING
PAUL JOHNSON told The NLP back in the summer that he wouldn’t mind, in a strange way, if Farnham Town’s unbeaten league streak came to an end.