Non league football
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Taffy: I'm not finished yet
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| OLD GUARD: Taffy Richardson |
THE clock is ticking on his illustrious career, but time shows no sign of running out on non-league legend Taffy Richardson.
The evergreen midfielder, who turns 42 in December, says he is fitter than ever as he prepares for tomorrow's Wessex League opener (v Fareham Town at Tatnam, 3pm) and yet another season of sweat and toil against players many years his junior.
But despite his age, Richardson's body is showing few signs of the mileage accrued during his glittering stint as one of the area's most influential semi-pro players.
And the secret to his success seems simple - keeping in good shape, while also maintaining a huge love for the game and a fierce will to win.
The FA Vase-winning captain, who lifted the trophy for Wimborne Town at Wembley way back in 1992, is expected to again be a key member of Tom Killick's Poole Town side as they push towards promotion back into the Southern League.
Killick, a former team-mate of Richardson's, knows him inside out and believes he is looking in great nick ahead of what promises to be an interesting year.
But Richardson, who feels rejuvenated after marrying his partner Suzanne and spending two weeks in Barbados during the summer, revealed he almost ended up playing his football elsewhere this term.
He said: "So many people say I'm only playing because Tommy's my friend, so I was quite happy to leave, so it wouldn't be my friend picking me.
"He said he'd tell me when I wasn't good enough to play.
"I said I'd play somewhere else because it's not fair on him if people say that, but he said he wants me to play."
And with good reason, because for all the talent in the Dolphins squad, it was an injury to Richardson which hit them hardest as their season ended in disappointing fashion last time round.
Despite people forever enquiring as to when he will hang up his boots, Richardson believes the end of his playing days are still some way off.
"I'm not packing in," he told the Daily Echo. "People have this misconception that I'm too old and have written me off since I was 34, but I haven't changed and I'm not going to pack in. I love playing.
"If people start to go by me and I don't feel effective, then I won't play. But until that day comes, I'm not going to stop.
"I think it's all in the mind. If your mind is strong, you can achieve whatever you want to."
Speaking of achievement, the veteran midfielder thinks Poole have a great chance of claiming some silverware this term.
Killick has been busy during the close-season, with Lamin Dibba, new skipper Simon Browne, James Bailey-Pearce, Micky Hubbard, Charlie Austin, Jack Swann, Dan Taylor and Keith Middleton all in line to make league debuts tomorrow.
And Richardson rates the squad as "possibly the best" in his time at the club.
"We've got a good mixture. Tom's brought in Lamin Dibba, who everyone knows about. Simon Browne - he's 37 so a youngster compared to me - he's vastly experienced and looks very good.
"Micky Hubbard and Jack Swann have come in and looked brilliant, and James Bailey-Pearce looks like a world beater, so I've been highly impressed."
The midfielder is raring to go for another season after revealing he is feeling fresh and prepared.
"I feel better than I ever have done," he said.
"I had a groin operation and took some time to come back from that because I was sore, but I played against Bashley in pre-season and didn't feel anything.
"It's a new lease of life, I feel fit and it's given me that incentive to play for a few more years."
And although deep into the twilight of his career, only a fool would bet against that happening.
Stuart Brown and Kevin Gill will miss Poole's season opener, while Aaron Skelton is doubtful due to a thigh injury.
Poole Town: (from) Harvell, Hogan, Poore, Whitley, Dibba, Browne, Taylor, T Smith, Bailey-Pearce, Hubbard, S Richardson, Middleton, Phillips, Austin, Swann, Sturgess, S Smith, Skelton, Holmes.
7:00am Friday 8th August 2008
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