As players get older it is hard to maintain a consistent performance at a high level, so some players chose to drop down the levels to keep playing. The National League is filled with football league (and even further) experience and The Beautiful Game looks at the most experienced XI that are playing this season.
GK - Dean Bouzanis - Sutton United
After starting in his native Australia Bouzanis signed for Rafa Benitez's Liverpool in 2007 but did not play a game for the Reds and after some loan spells he eventually moved on to Oldham in 2011 in League One. He moved to Aris in the Greek Super League, but only played once in the cup. He won the AFC Champions League with Western Sydney Wanderers but was the number two throughout that campaign. He was mainly a back up keeper throughout his career until he found a regular starting spot back in Australia for Melbourne City where he made 66 appearances across four seasons. Bouzanis was loaned to PEC Zwolle in the Netherlands in the 2018/19 season but did not play a game and he returned to Melbourne were he then left and eventually signed for Sutton ahead of this season were he has been the clubs number one.
RB - Alan Dunne - Bromley
With 388 appearances for Millwall across the Championship and League One in a 14-year spell with the London based Club. He moved to Leyton Orient in 2015 but only played 18 times across two seasons he moved to Bromley in 2016 and has since played 41 times and became a player-coach. At 38 year old he is still a player but his appearances are limited in recent years but he is still a very experienced player and offers a lot to the side.
CB - Ben Turner - Notts County
Turner has had a great career in the football league playing across all four divisions. Starting with Coventry in the championship and moving to Cardiff in 2011 winning the Championship title in 2012/13 and then played in the Premier League for a season the following year, he made over 100 appearances for the Welsh club. He moved on to Burton Albion in the Championship in 2016 then to Mansfield in February 2019 but left at the end of the season refusing a new contract and choosing to sign for Notts County were he has been ever present in the side.
CB - Byron Webster - Bromley
Webster's career has gone full circle, he started in the Conference in York City, playing sporadically across three seasons, he moved down to Harrogate Town in the Conference North in 2006 - also signing for Whitby Town on a dual-registration in the Northern Premier League. He then moved over to the Czech Republic with Banik Most in the Czech First League but suffered relegation, he played two seasons making 49 appearances and scored four times. He moved back to England with Doncaster Rovers in the Championship but couldn't cement a place and was loaned out a few times eventually to Northampton Town in League Two who signed him then to Yeovil in League One and the Championship ad he won promotion. He moved to Millwall were he played for five years regularly but dropped off again slowly going down the leagues. He signed for Bromley this season he has been ever present in the side bring Football League and European experience to his National League team.
LB - Dean Moxey - Torquay United
Moxey started at Exeter in the Conference playing for five seasons earning promotion to League Two, playing for one season before Derby took a chance for him on him in the Championship. He had two seasons at the Rams, moving to Crystal Palace in 2010 brought him three seasons of Championship football and one in the Premier League. Bolton and a move back to Exeter in the football league came next as Moxey moved back down to Non-League at 35 years old with a move to Torquay this season.
CM - Darren Carter - Solihull Moors
Carter started off with Birmingham City and played with them in the First Division and the Premier League. He applied his trade at Sunderland, West Brom, Preston, Millwall, Cheltenham and Northampton. Carter made 292 appearances in the Football League before dropping down to play for Forest Green Rovers and then at Solihull Moors were he has played consistently in the National League even now at 37 years old.
CM - John Rooney - Stockport County
Brother of Wayne Rooney, John has been a great player too, he started his career in League Two for Macclesfield playing 46 times and scoring four goals across four seasons. He then went over to North America signing for New York Red Bulls in 2011, Rooney only played for a year and dropped down to Orlando City, who then played in the USL Pro division - he played 16 games and scored 3 goals over in the States. The midfielder returned to England signing for Championship Barnsley in 2012, then to Bury were he began his non-league journey. He played for Chester, Wrexham, Guisley, Barrow and now Stockport were he is doing very well at 30-years-old scoring seven goals in eight games so far this season.
CM - Matt Jarvis - Woking
A left winger by trade, he played in the Premier League, Championship and League One. Jarvis even earned a cap for England in 2011. He started his career with Gillingham in the Championship and League One. A move to Wolverhampton Wanderers 2007 allowed him to play in the Premier League following their promotion in 2009. They were relegated after three seasons and he stayed in the top flight through a move to West Ham in 2012. Injuries limited his time towards the end of his spell with the Hammers and virtually his full four years at Norwich thereafter. 418 games in the Football League later he signed for Woking last January and has been a regular starter for them this season.
RF - Ross McCormack - Aldershot Town
A clinical striker in his prime, the forward started with Rangers in his native Scotland but could not cement a regular place. He moved to Motherwell in 2006 where he did okay (14 in 57) but it was enough to earn a move to Cardiff 2008 where he scored 23 goals in 44 games in his debut season in England. He scored consistently for Cardiff then Leeds then Fulham. 130 goals in 346 across nine seasons in the Championship earned himself a move to title chasers Aston Villa again in the Championship but only scored three goals in twenty games in his first season and was set to be unfit and missing training. He went out on loan to Notingham Forest then to Australian A-League sides Melbourne City and Central Coast Marriers then back to Motherwell. Other than 14 goals in 17 games for Melbourne he did not feature much at his other clubs out on loan. He was released by Villa in 2019 and signed for Aldershot a year later. He also played 13 times and scored twice for Scotland across eight years.
LF - Jamie Ward - Solihull Moors
Ward started with Aston Villa but did not play a game, moving to Torquay United, then in League Two 2006. He signed for Chesterfield a year later playing in League One and then Two. Championship Sheffield United took a chance on the winger in 2008 and he played 12 straight seasons in the Championship with Sheff United, Derby, Nottingham Forest, Burton and Cardiff raking up 281 appearances and scoring 50 goals. He signed for Scunthorpe in League Two at 33 years old but did not play much. He signed for Solihull in October 2020 where he has brought his football experience to aid with their promotion push this season. Ward also played 35 times for Northern Ireland, scoring four goals, and even played at Euro 2016.
ST - Adam Rooney - Solihull Moors
Another proven centre forward Rooney mostly founded his feet in Scotland, but he started with Stoke City in 2005 but did not feature much for the Potters and was loaned out to Yeovil, Chesterfield and Bury. He signed for Inverness Caledonian Thistle in 2008 and played in the Scottish Premiership and First Division scoring 53 in 120 games. Earning himself a move back to England with Birmingham in the Championship in 2011 but couldn't break into the side and was loaned to Swindon in 2012 and then signed for Oldham for six months where he moved back to Scotland signing for Aberdeen. He netted 88 goals in 197 games for the Dons. He signed for Salford City his 21 goals helped them earn promotion to League Two. He played one season for Salford in League Two then signed for Solihull ahead of this season hoping to do the same with the midlands club.
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