Former Blackpool legend Gary Taylor-Fletcher proved this week why age is just a number after scoring a 40-yard screamer for Northern Premier league side Nantwich Town.
“A yard for every year,” joked the 41-year old on Twitter after the game.
Taylor-Fletcher started his career on loan at Northwich Victoria, a non-league team in Cheshire before moving to clubs like Leyton Orient, Dagenham and Redbridge, Huddersfield and finally Blackpool in 2007.
Fletcher played 234 games for the Tangerines, playing 31 in the Premier League and the rest in the Championship scoring a total of 37 goals and 37 assists, playing the Centre Forward and Right-Wing role primarily. And now finishing his career as a Player/Manager at Nantwich.
Matt Rhead
With Taylor-Fletcher’s goal going viral over the weekend we take a look at some more ex-pros currently playing in the non-league.
Matt Rhead was a predominant player in League Two over the years. The now 38-year old currently plays for National League North side Alfreton Town. He’s scored 17 goals in 59 appearances for the Reds.
His career has seen him perform at some big teams like Mansfield and Boreham Woods but his biggest spell of games came from League Two side Lincoln City. He made a grand total of 161 appearances and scored 43 goals. Despite making 120 appearances for Mansfield he only managed to rack up 15 goals over the three-year spell.
In the 2018/19 season Rhea won promotion into league 1 with Lincoln City and also won the Football League Trophy.
Peter Clarke
Ex-Huddersfield back man Peter Clarke has had some career since his debut for Everton back in 1999. The now 41-year old is currently playing at National League side Oldham Athletic after joining last year on loan from Walsall.
Clarke made 192 appearances for Huddersfield between 2009 and 2014 before going back to his old club Blackpool for year where he manged to score 2 goals from 39 games. Despite being older than your typical footballer, Clarke still made close to 100 appearances for Tranmere over the space of two years between 2020 and 2022.
Clarke doesn’t have a lot of achievements apart from his cracking 785 games and Play-off final trophy with Huddersfield.
