Stopper nets 500
Cameron Belford says he is ‘still as hungry as ever’ as he will make his 500th career appearance this weekend against Whitby Town in the Northern Premier League at Marston Road.
The goalkeeper, who boasts an extraordinary amount of clubs in his career, playing in the football league, in Scotland and at non-league level, is looking forward to the occasion on Saturday.
Belford has played for: Bury, Tamworth, Southend United, Accrington Stanley, Mansfield Town, Rushall Olympic, Swindon Town, Wrexham, Stranraer, Forest Green Rovers, Chorley, Nuneaton Borough, FC United of Manchester, Radcliffe and Stafford Rangers in his illustrious career.
Incredibly, the 34-year-old will step onto the pitch today for the 500th time in his career and he’s certainly looking forward to the day and his future in the game.
He said: “I’ve been lucky enough to win things in my career, to win promotions and cups. I still want to win things, I’m still as hungry as ever to succeed in football.
“It’s going to be a good occasion. To get to any milestone in football is massive.
“If you’d have asked me when I started my career if I thought I’d get to 500 senior career appearances I’d have said ‘it looks a long way off’. To get to 500 is a really proud moment for me and my family.
“To have played a few hundred games in the football league and Scotland, and to continue on the back of that at a very good level in non-league, is a big achievement for me.
“I wasn’t aware of how many games I’ve played until somebody pointed it out about six months ago, and since then I’ve been keeping track of it and trying to get to the milestone.
“500 is a big one, a lot of people aren’t lucky enough to play a handful of games at this level, the level above or in the football league as I have.
“It is a big achievement but let’s see if I can get to another, another 100 maybe and see where I can get to until my legs fall off,” joked Belford.
The goalkeeper has featured in front of goal in every single Rangers game so far this season with 11 clean sheets.
Belford emphasised how much Stafford Rangers and non-league football means to him saying: “I’m thoroughly enjoying my time at Stafford, it’s been possibly one of my best seasons for a while in terms of my own personal performances.
“There’s some great people around at the club and hopefully we can kick on from now to the end of the season and pick up a few more results and see where it takes us leading into next season.
“I still feel like I’ve got a good few years left in me yet and there are some milestone’s that I still want to get to in terms of games and appearances. I still feel at the level I’m at right now that I’ve still got a lot to offer.
“Long may it continue and let’s see how far I can go from 500 onwards.
“From a family point of view with my Dad and brothers we’ve been around non-league football for a very long time. People don’t understand what it means to people at non-league level.
“There’s lots of things that happen behind the scenes with volunteers who aren’t paid and it’s a really good vibrant place to be, especially Stafford. The people behind the scenes are fantastic, it’s a great club to be at.”
With beating Walsall Wood last night (Wednesday, 3rd May), the our U18’s side managed to claim the Runners-Up spot, in the U18’s MYFL league.
