The Next Generation

[CarlosEsDios]

I've been following my team Stalybridge Celtic in this thread. I'm pleased to see that they got promoted to the Conference National and spent a few years there. They were relegated a couple of seasons ago and narrowly missed relegation again last year, staying up by one point. Some real big clubs have been falling fast though, Doncaster Rovers being one of them!

[CFuller]

I've been following my team Stalybridge Celtic in this thread. I'm pleased to see that they got promoted to the Conference National and spent a few years there. They were relegated a couple of seasons ago and narrowly missed relegation again last year, staying up by one point. Some real big clubs have been falling fast though, Doncaster Rovers being one of them!

It's really fascinating to see which teams rise or fall over the course of a long save. I was very surprised by Doncaster's descent - it's all gone wrong for them!

I'd also like to thank you for the PM, Ben. Any support for my stories, whether it's private or public, is much appreciated.

[CFuller]

All of our players are now 29 years of age.

Our players are very close to turning 30 now, so they really should be at the peak of their powers now. Sadly, that does not seem to be true for most of them.

Our only two Premier League players this season were both at Brighton & Hove Albion. Easah Suliman featured fairly heavily for the Seagulls, but fellow defender Tom Matthews was completely absent from first-team action at the AMEX Stadium. Matthews had to drop down to League One for his dose of regular football.

Long-time Premier League player Cameron Carter-Vickers spent this season playing in the Championship with relegated Sheffield United, who failed to earn a return ticket to the top flight. Four more of our players also played at that level, including our Norwich City duo of Hamza Choudhury and Adam Phillips. The pair have developed plenty of mutual respect for one another during their time in Norfolk.

Marcus Rashford is also likely to be playing in the Championship next season after guiding his Southend United team to another promotion from League One. The campaign didn't go quite so well for Tosin Adarabioyo as he tried to settle in at yet another new club.

Lower down the pyramid, things are looking bleak for three players. Harley Willard finds himself without a club after another horrible year, while Matt Hinchliffe has decided to abandon his professional football career for good and go back to playing part-time. As for Aaron Lewis, he has finished playing full-stop after failing to earn a new contract at Eastleigh. His retirement leaves 14 of the 'Next Generation' still standing.

CHRIS WILLOCK (AM L)

CURRENT CLUB: Lincoln City. PREVIOUS CLUBS: East Thurrock United.

Chris Willock originally agreed to stay on for a third season at East Thurrock United. A few weeks later, however, Willock was lured to Lincoln City by the offer of a professional contract. It would not be a wise move for the midfielder, who only featured six times for the Imps, although he scored once and laid on three assists. Could Chris be moving on once again this summer?

Milestones: 02/08/26 - Moved to Lincoln City on free transfer. 08/08/26 - Debut for Lincoln City vs Cambridge City.

Season Statistics: Lincoln City - APPS: 6, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 3, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.88.

Career Statistics: APPS: 116, GOALS: 7, ASSISTS: 19, YC: 30, RC: 2.

EASAH SULIMAN (D LC)

CURRENT CLUB: Brighton & Hove Albion.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 16 caps for Pakistan.

This was Easah Suliman's first taste of regular Premier League football, as he entered the promised land with Brighton & Hove Albion. The experience wasn't a very pleasant one for the full-back, who was part of a defence that shipped 82 goals on the way to being relegated back to the Championship. Suliman played in 26 of the Seagulls' league matches - 10 from the start - and rarely looked comfortable. At 29 years of age, that might have been Easah's last chance to make the grade in the Premier League. This strong, intelligent defender will be determined to give it another go, though, as he bids to get Brighton promoted again in 2027/2028.

Milestones: 15/05/27 - Relegated from Premier League.

Season Statistics: Brighton & Hove Albion - APPS: 29, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.51.

Career Statistics: APPS: 318, GOALS: 6, ASSISTS: 14, YC: 14, RC: 0.

DOMINIC SOLANKE (F C)

CURRENT CLUB: Ipswich Town.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 5 caps for Nigeria.

This season has given the first indications that Dominic Solanke might be on the wane as a footballer. He couldn't quite match his tally of 15 goals from last season as Ipswich Town had arguably their worst Championship season in years. The Tractor Boys could only finish 20th, and they had to rely on the prolific goalscoring of Mario Pinto rather than Solanke to keep them up. With Bolivia international Pinto leaving Portman Road this summer, Dominic will be under pressure to hit top form again in the forthcoming season.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Ipswich Town - APPS: 47, GOALS: 4, ASSISTS: 1, YC: 2, RC: 1, AV RAT: 6.64.

Career Statistics: APPS: 365, GOALS: 91, ASSISTS: 11, YC: 9, RC: 2.

KIERAN DOWELL (M R, AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Aston Villa.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 3 caps for England Under-19s.

Kieran Dowell's passing isn't as crisp as it used to be, but he has proven to be a good signing for Aston Villa. The right-sided midfielder provided 15 assists for the Villans, placing him among the Championship's top goal creators. Dowell's form dipped late on in the season, and Villa's play-off charge disintegrated as a result. Kieran has demonstrated excellent decision-making skills, though, and you can be sure that he'll be getting his club back up the table before long.

Milestones: 08/08/26 - Debut for Aston Villa vs Shrewsbury Town.

Season Statistics: Aston Villa - APPS: 46, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 15, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.67.

Career Statistics: APPS: 314, GOALS: 19, ASSISTS: 56, YC: 10, RC: 0.

MATT HINCHLIFFE (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Ilkeston.

Matt Hinchliffe has been switching back and forth between League and non-league football, but no more. After one final season as a full-time player, the former Cambridge United defender has decided to quit professional football. Hinchliffe finished his full-time career with Ilkeston, for whom he played 34 times in the Northern Premier League. Matt is likely to continue playing part-time, but he's uncertain about staying at the New Manor Ground.

Milestones: 30/06/26 - Released by Cambridge United. 08/09/26 - Moved to Ilkeston on free transfer.

Season Statistics: Ilkeston - APPS: 43, GOALS: 4, ASSISTS: 4, YC: 2, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.92.

Career Statistics: APPS: 152, GOALS: 9, ASSISTS: 6, YC: 12, RC: 1.

HAMZA CHOUDHURY (D L, DM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Norwich City.

Hamza Choudhury has continued to excel for Norwich City, both in defensive midfield and at left-back. The tireless star made eight assists in 50 matches for City, who once again failed to challenge for promotion from the Championship. Choudhury is now seen as such a strong role model at the Norwich Stadium that a player who once missed three training sessions in one season is now tutoring Norwich's young Canaries. The club's financial situation is becoming increasingly insecure, though, and Hamza might be sold if an attractive offer comes in for him.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Norwich City - APPS: 50, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 8, YC: 2, RC: 0, AV RAT: 7.12.

Career Statistics: APPS: 451, GOALS: 8, ASSISTS: 67, YC: 43, RC: 2.

ADAM PHILLIPS (AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Norwich City.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 2 caps for England Under-19s.

Attacking midfielder Adam Phillips was once again Norwich City's creator-in-chief. The Lancastrian provided 13 assists for his Canaries team-mates as he continued to show excellent vision and creativity. Norwich fans of a certain age are now calling Phillips their own Paul Scholes - although that's in part down to his god-awful tackling. Adam committed an incredible 80 fouls last season, receiving 11 yellow cards! He may not be squeaky-clean, but he is still as vital to the City cause as he has been during his three seasons at the Norwich Stadium.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Norwich City - APPS: 51, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 13, YC: 11, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.79.

Career Statistics: APPS: 222, GOALS: 14, ASSISTS: 53, YC: 52, RC: 1.

TOSIN ADARABIOYO (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Plymouth Argyle.

On the eve of the new League One season, Tosin Adarabioyo left Charlton Athletic and signed for Plymouth Argyle. The centre-back didn't have the best of times during his first campaign at Home Park. It took Adarabioyo to find some consistency, but he was in red-hot form when he took on his old club Charlton in late November. The reunion ended prematurely, as Tosin tore his hamstring. He returned in February after a three-month absence but has since drifted in and out of the Pilgrims' starting XI.

Milestones: 06/08/26 - Moved to Plymouth Argyle for £195,000. 08/08/26 - Debut for Plymouth Argyle vs Carlisle United.

Season Statistics: Plymouth Argyle - APPS: 26, GOALS: 2, ASSISTS: 4, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.90.

Career Statistics: APPS: 306, GOALS: 14, ASSISTS: 16, YC: 25, RC: 1.

MARCUS RASHFORD (AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Southend United.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 5 caps for England Under-19s.

Southend United striker Marcus Rashford has had another hit-and-miss campaign at Roots Hall. Rashford scored nine league goals as Southend won the League One title, returning to the Championship after a brief absence. Once again, though, he has been criticised by the club's fans for being lazy and not pushing his weight. It remains to be seen whether Marcus will get another crack at Championship football with the Shrimpers, but there will definitely be some takers if he is transfer-listed.

Milestones: 24/04/27 - Promoted from League One. 01/05/27 - Won League One.

Season Statistics: Southend United - APPS: 32, GOALS: 10, ASSISTS: 1, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.65.

Career Statistics: APPS: 247, GOALS: 46, ASSISTS: 5, YC: 12, RC: 0.

STEFAN BROCCOLI (M C)

CURRENT CLUB: Robur Siena.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 2 caps for Italy Under-19s.

After three seasons at Lecce, Stefan Broccoli moved to Tuscany and signed for Robur Siena. Broccoli has so far been unable to establish himself as a regular in the Robur side, as a couple of ankle injuries restricted his appearances. The midfielder played just twelve times this season, and although he produced some strong performances, they weren't enough to get Siena promoted from Lega Pro Division B. Stefan will be looking to stay clear of injuries next term and get his club back into the second tier of Italian football.

Milestones: 01/07/26 - Moved to Robur Siena on free transfer.

Season Statistics: Robur Siena - APPS: 12, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 7.32.

Career Statistics: APPS: 263, GOALS: 14, ASSISTS: 32, YC: 36, RC: 4.

TOM MATTHEWS (D RC)

CURRENT CLUB: Brighton & Hove Albion. PREVIOUS CLUBS: Rotherham United (loan).

Following Brighton & Hove Albion's promotion to the Premier League, defender Tom Matthews was reduced to being a reserve player at the AMEX Stadium. Matthews spent around six months rotting in Brighton's development side, and was then sent out on loan to Rotherham United. That move proved beneficial for all parties, as Tom got some regular competitive football again in League One. A knee ligament injury meant that he missed Rotherham's successful play-off campaign, but what could've been a wasted season did at least finish on a high.

Milestones: 23/02/27 - Moved to Rotherham United on loan, debut for Rotherham United vs Accrington Stanley. 23/05/27 - Promoted from League One.

Season Statistics: Rotherham United - APPS: 13, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.72.

Career Statistics: APPS: 307, GOALS: 17, ASSISTS: 5, YC: 32, RC: 4.

HARLEY WILLARD (AM RL)

CURRENT CLUB: unattached. PREVIOUS CLUBS: Forfar Athletic.

Harley Willard hoped that his summer move to Forfar Athletic would kick-start his career. In fact, it could be the beginning of the end for the midfielder. Willard played just six times for the Scottish League One club, and one of those appearances ended in disgrace, with his first sending-off. Forfar showed Harley the red card after the season finished, and the Londoner must now be wondering where his next opportunity will come from.

Milestones: 12/08/26 - First senior red card for Forfar Athletic vs Alloa Athletic. 07/05/27 - Released by Forfar Athletic.

Season Statistics: Forfar Athletic - APPS: 6, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 2, RC: 1, AV RAT: 6.55.

Career Statistics: APPS: 80, GOALS: 5, ASSISTS: 10, YC: 13, RC: 1.

OLIVER SHENTON (M C)

CURRENT CLUB: Rotherham United.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 1 cap for England Under-19s.

This wasn't Oliver Shenton's best season by any means, but it ended with him and Rotherham United winning consecutive promotions. Although the midfielder only made six assists, he remained almost ever-present with the Millers. Shenton really came to life in the League One Play-Off Semi Finals, as he produced a fantastic display to help Rotherham overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Gillingham. Although Oliver only played a minor role in the Final victory against Notts County, his efforts were rewarded with a new three-year contract at the New York Stadium.

Milestones: 23/05/27 - Promoted from League One.

Season Statistics: Rotherham United - APPS: 48, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 6, YC: 3, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.66.

Career Statistics: APPS: 418, GOALS: 13, ASSISTS: 64, YC: 19, RC: 1.

AARON LEWIS (D R)

[RETIRED]

Aaron Lewis was released by Eastleigh last June after spending five seasons with the Conference Premier club. Lewis is now firmly settled in Hampshire with a young family to support, so he had no desire to move away from his adopted club. Indeed, he quickly decided to turn his back from football altogether and pursue a new career. Aaron bows out of the sport after making nearly 200 competitive appearances.

Milestones: 30/06/26 - Released by Eastleigh. 02/12/26 - Retired from football.

Career Statistics: APPS: 197, GOALS: 19, ASSISTS: 22, YC: 6, RC: 0.

CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Sheffield United.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 14 caps for United States.

Cameron Carter-Vickers had been a Premier League regular for six seasons, so one might've expected him to take to the Championship like a duck to water when he and Sheffield United suffered relegation. Things wouldn't be that easy for Carter-Vickers in reality. Though the defender avoided suffering any recurrences of the injuries that had affected him in recent years, he couldn't get the Blades back up at the first time of asking. Some inconsistent performances have raised questions about whether Big Cameron will ever return to the top flight.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Sheffield United - APPS: 42, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 2, YC: 9, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.79.

Career Statistics: APPS: 279, GOALS: 3, ASSISTS: 12, YC: 53, RC: 2.

[CFuller]

Premier League

Top Four: Arsenal (1st), Manchester City (2nd), Stoke City (3rd), Manchester United (4th).

Relegated: Brighton & Hove Albion (18th), Leicester City (19th), Cardiff City (20th).

Championship

Promoted: Blackburn Rovers (1st), Reading (2nd), Everton (5th).

Also in Play-Offs: Watford (3rd), Sheffield United (4th), Peterborough United (6th).

Relegated: Burnley (22nd), Middlesbrough (23rd), Wigan Athletic (24th).

League One

Promoted: Southend United (1st), Charlton Athletic (2nd), Rotherham United (6th).

Also in Play-Offs: Gillingham (3rd), Notts County (4th), Colchester United (5th).

Relegated: Carlisle United (21st), Wycombe Wanderers (22nd), Leyton Orient (23rd), Walsall (24th).

League Two

Promoted: Oxford United (1st), Port Vale (2nd), Preston North End (3rd), Luton Town (7th).

Also in Play-Offs: Morecambe (4th), Newport County (5th), Barnet (6th).

Relegated: Scunthorpe United (23rd), Dagenham & Redbridge (24th).

Conference Premier

Promoted: Chester (1st), Hartlepool United (2nd).

Also in Play-Offs: Boreham Wood (3rd), Oxford City (4th), Farnborough (5th).

Relegated: Cheltenham Town (21st), Wealdstone (22nd), Eastbourne Borough (23rd), Barwell (24th).

Conference North

Promoted: Macclesfield (1st), Southport (5th).

Also in Play-Offs: Lincoln City (2nd), Ashton United (3rd), FC United of Manchester (4th).

Relegated: North Ferriby United (20th), Doncaster Rovers (21st), Curzon Ashton (22nd).

Conference South

Promoted: Dartford (1st), Bristol Rovers (3rd).

Also in Play-Offs: Dorchester Town (2nd), Slough Town (4th), East Thurrock United (5th).

Relegated: Basingstoke Town (20th), Truro City (21st), Kingstonian (22nd).

Promoted to Conference North/South: AFC Hornchurch, Altrincham, Colwyn Bay, Hendon, Leatherhead, Maidenhead United.

Cup Winners

FA Cup: West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Liverpool.

League Cup: Manchester City 3-2 Stoke City (aet).

Community Shield: Arsenal 5-1 Chelsea.

Football League Trophy: Accrington Stanley 4-0 Southend United.

UEFA Champions League: Paris Saint-Germain 3-2 Juventus.

UEFA Europa League: AC Milan 2-0 Rayo Vallecano.

UEFA Super Cup: Cagliari 2-0 Paris Saint-Germain.

Club World Championship: Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 Espérance Sportive de Tunis.

Major European Leagues

Dutch Eredivisie: PSV (1st), Ajax (2nd), FC Groningen (3rd).

French Ligue 1: Paris Saint-Germain (1st), Lyon (2nd), Monaco (3rd).

German Bundesliga: Wolfsburg (1st), Borussia Dortmund (2nd), Borussia Moenchengladbach (3rd).

Italian Serie A: Juventus (1st), Napoli (2nd), Cagliari (3rd).

Portuguese Primeira Liga: Benfica (1st), Braga (2nd), Sporting CP (3rd).

Russian Premier League: Zenit St Petersburg (1st), FC Krasnodar (2nd), Lokomotiv Moscow (3rd).

Scottish Premiership: Rangers (1st), Celtic (2nd), Hamilton Academical (3rd).

Spanish La Liga: Real Madrid (1st), Sevilla (2nd), Barcelona (3rd).

[CFuller]

All of our players are now 30 years of age.

The 'Next Generation' are now into the fourth decade of their lives, and it will almost exclusively be downhill from here as far as their playing careers go.

Kieran Dowell was our only representative in the Premier League this season, having moved to Blackburn Rovers from Aston Villa. Blackburn's return to the top division was brief, but Dowell's performances suggested that he may well be back for one last shot at the big time before he calls it quits.

Easah Suliman dropped back into the Championship with Brighton & Hove Albion, while his former team-mate (if you can even call him that) Tom Matthews fell even further into League One. Several other players continued to ply their trade in the Championship, all with slim hopes of one day returning to the PL.

That dream has long been dead for Chris Willock, who has been on the move yet again to another non-league club. Another injury-prone left-flanker - Harley Willard - has shown great determination to carry on in Scotland's lower reaches, despite his own problems.

Even lower down the food chain is Matt Hinchliffe, who's now combining his playing duties at Ilkeston with a full-time job outside football. Can he continue to balance those two professions, or is the final whistle about to blow on his soccer days?

CHRIS WILLOCK (AM L)

CURRENT CLUB: Brackley Town.

Club-hopping Chris Willock was at it again in the summer after his exit from Lincoln City. Willock didn't venture too far, signing for Southern League outfit Brackley Town on a part-time deal. The midfielder proved to be a useful asset for Brackley, notching up seven goals and six assists in his first season at St James Park. It could be Chris' only season there, as he has yet to receive news on whether he'll receive a new contract.

Milestones: 30/06/27 - Released by Lincoln City. 21/08/27 - Moved to Brackley Town on free transfer.

Season Statistics: Brackley Town - APPS: 40, GOALS: 7, ASSISTS: 6, YC: 3, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.72.

Career Statistics: APPS: 156, GOALS: 14, ASSISTS: 25, YC: 33, RC: 2.

EASAH SULIMAN (D LC)

CURRENT CLUB: Brighton & Hove Albion.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 18 caps for Pakistan.

Brighton & Hove Albion defeated Easah Suliman's old club Aston Villa 4-0 in their first home game of the Championship season, but it was not a happy reunion for the Brummie. Late on in the first half, Suliman collided with a Villa player, and ended up fracturing his skull. Thankfully, he survived, but he wouldn't play again until November. Since then, the usually strong centre-half has been a shadow of his former self, and he's not as brave when it comes to making strong challenges. Easah still featured in 23 matches for the Seagulls this season, but with just one year left on his current deal, he might be coming to the end of his stay in Brighton.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Brighton & Hove Albion - APPS: 23, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.72.

Career Statistics: APPS: 341, GOALS: 6, ASSISTS: 14, YC: 15, RC: 0.

DOMINIC SOLANKE (F C)

CURRENT CLUB: Ipswich Town.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 5 caps for Nigeria.

We said 12 months ago that Dominic Solanke had to up his form at Ipswich Town in the coming season. The striker has done that this term - to a point. Solanke found the net 18 times in 51 matches, but his shooting accuracy was still a disappointment. Dominic has, though, displayed great flair at times this season, and he has worked hard on his stamina in a bid to stay at Championship level for as long as possible. It'll be very interesting to see if that pays off in what will be the last season of his current contract at Portman Road.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Ipswich Town - APPS: 51, GOALS: 18, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.67.

Career Statistics: APPS: 416, GOALS: 109, ASSISTS: 11, YC: 10, RC: 2.

KIERAN DOWELL (M R, AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Blackburn Rovers.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 3 caps for England Under-19s.

After just one season at Aston Villa, Kieran Dowell found himself back in the Premier League. Blackburn Rovers paid a transfer fee of £2,300,000 and offered the midfielder £31,000 per week to snap him up for their top-flight return. Dowell demonstrated his unquestionable ability for Blackburn, providing four goals and six assists. Despite all that, the Rovers still finished rock-bottom and returned straight to the Championship. However, you get the feeling that Kieran is not finished as a Premier League player. Any ambitious low-end club in the elite could do worse than take on this experienced midfield creator, who passes the ball so sweetly and is always ice-cool under pressure.

Milestones: 01/07/27 - Moved to Blackburn Rovers for £2,300,000. 21/07/27 - Debut for Blackburn Rovers vs MLS All-Stars. 29/04/28 - Relegated from Premier League.

Season Statistics: Blackburn Rovers - APPS: 34, GOALS: 4, ASSISTS: 6, YC: 3, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.93.

Career Statistics: APPS: 348, GOALS: 23, ASSISTS: 62, YC: 13, RC: 0.

MATT HINCHLIFFE (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Ilkeston.

After retiring from professional football, Matt Hinchliffe stayed at Ilkeston on non-contract terms. Understandably, Hinchliffe's skills as a defender have quickly deteriorated since he started combining football with a proper job. Before long, he was reduced to a back-up player at Ilkeston, for whom he played in just 19 Northern Premier League games this season. Could this be the beginning of the end of Matt's playing days?

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Ilkeston - APPS: 25, GOALS: 2, ASSISTS: 2, YC: 7, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.93.

Career Statistics: APPS: 177, GOALS: 11, ASSISTS: 8, YC: 19, RC: 1.

HAMZA CHOUDHURY (D L, DM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Norwich City.

Although Norwich City are still a middling Championship club at best, Hamza Choudhury has maintained his impressive form in defensive midfield for them. Choudhury missed just one Championship match on the way to producing seven assists and scoring two goals. He also showed his commitment to the club by signing a new contract that will keep him at the Norwich Stadium for at least one more term. Canaries fans have fallen in love with hard-working Hamza, and that love affair is unlikely to end soon.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Norwich City - APPS: 47, GOALS: 2, ASSISTS: 7, YC: 7, RC: 0, AV RAT: 7.09.

Career Statistics: APPS: 498, GOALS: 10, ASSISTS: 74, YC: 50, RC: 2.

ADAM PHILLIPS (AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Norwich City.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 2 caps for England Under-19s.

Adam Phillips had largely avoided serious injuries in recent years, but his old demons re-emerged in 2027/2028. Phillips tore a groin muscle in August, and two months later, he was diagnosed with knee tendonitis. A four-month absence followed for the midfielder, whose stop-start season ended in early April with a sprained ankle. During the interim, Adam showed glimpses of his talent, making four assists for Norwich City in just 17 games. However, it remains to be seen whether he will return to his very best form for the Canaries.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Norwich City - APPS: 17, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 4, YC: 3, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.88.

Career Statistics: APPS: 239, GOALS: 15, ASSISTS: 57, YC: 55, RC: 1.

TOSIN ADARABIOYO (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Plymouth Argyle.

Tosin Adarabioyo's second season at Plymouth Argyle was largely forgettable. The centre-back had already been reduced to a bit-part player at Home Park when he suffered two significant injury setbacks. After breaking his collarbone at home to Bristol City in October, Adarabioyo fractured his ribs during an Under-21s match two months later. Despite making just 11 appearances in an injury-hit campaign, Tosin has signed a new two-year contract at the Pilgrims. Their recent promotion to the Championship might have had a major influence on that decision.

Milestones: 21/05/28 - Promoted from League One.

Season Statistics: Plymouth Argyle - APPS: 11, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.74.

Career Statistics: APPS: 317, GOALS: 14, ASSISTS: 16, YC: 26, RC: 1.

MARCUS RASHFORD (AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Southend United.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 5 caps for England Under-19s.

Things have really turned sour for Marcus Rashford at Southend United. This season began with Rashford missing the first two months due to a torn groin muscle, and it ended with Southend being relegated from the Championship once again. The injury-prone midfielder has become increasingly unsettled at the yo-yo club, and things now seem to have come to a head. After featuring in just 18 league matches, Marcus slapped in another transfer request. He is now almost certain to leave Roots Hall, whether it's this year or next.

Milestones: 22/04/28 - Relegated from Championship.

Season Statistics: Southend United - APPS: 20, GOALS: 4, ASSISTS: 1, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.56.

Career Statistics: APPS: 267, GOALS: 50, ASSISTS: 6, YC: 13, RC: 0.

STEFAN BROCCOLI (M C)

CURRENT CLUB: Robur Siena.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 2 caps for Italy Under-19s.

Stefan Broccoli was a solid if unspectacular performer for Robur Siena this season. The defensive midfielder laid on four assists in Lega Pro Division B this season. That's not exactly a terrible record, considering that Broccoli dislocated his shoulder in October and took a while to get back to his best. After two years at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, though, Stefan is likely to be moving on this summer. He has been strongly linked with a summer transfer to Siena's divisional rivals Spal.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Robur Siena - APPS: 22, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 4, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.93.

Career Statistics: APPS: 285, GOALS: 14, ASSISTS: 36, YC: 37, RC: 4.

TOM MATTHEWS (D RC)

CURRENT CLUB: Exeter City.

Tom Matthews' first spell at Exeter City, between 2025 and 2026, was not exactly a roaring success. Nevertheless, when Grecians boss Callum McManaman offered to bring Matthews back to St James's Park, the defender jumped at the chance. The former Brighton & Hove Albion man quickly re-established himself as a regular starter for Exeter, who went on to reach the League One Play-Off Final. Tom was part of the side that lost to Devon rivals Plymouth Argyle at Wembley, but he will still be feeling optimistic ahead of next season.

Milestones: 14/08/27 - Moved to Exeter City for £120,000.

Season Statistics: Exeter City - APPS: 31, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 1, YC: 3, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.64.

Career Statistics: APPS: 338, GOALS: 18, ASSISTS: 6, YC: 35, RC: 4.

HARLEY WILLARD (M L, AM RL)

CURRENT CLUB: Elgin City.

Having been reduced to benchwarmer for the last few years, Harley Willard is finally getting regular action. Willard had to drop all the way down to Scottish League Two to get it, but he's really enjoying life at new club Elgin City. He became a firm presence on the left side of Elgin's midfield, from where he made four league assists. Harley is already looking forward to his second term with the Black and Whites, who are seeking a return to League One.

Milestones: 02/07/27 - Moved to Elgin City on free transfer. 31/07/27 - Debut for Elgin City vs St Johnstone.

Season Statistics: Elgin City - APPS: 31, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 5, YC: 7, RC: 1, AV RAT: 6.67.

Career Statistics: APPS: 111, GOALS: 6, ASSISTS: 15, YC: 20, RC: 2.

OLIVER SHENTON (M C)

CURRENT CLUB: Rotherham United.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 1 cap for England Under-19s.

Reality hit home for Oliver Shenton's Rotherham United this season following back-to-back promotions. The Millers floundered in the Championship, and midfielder Shenton was nowhere near as effective as he had been in previous campaigns. The assists dried up rather quickly for Oliver, and when his season was ended by a torn hamstring in mid-February, Rotherham's fate was sealed. They only won two more matches and were relegated back to League One, where they'll hope to find their feet again soon.

Milestones: 17/04/28 - Relegated from Championship.

Season Statistics: Rotherham United - APPS: 30, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 4, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.57.

Career Statistics: APPS: 448, GOALS: 13, ASSISTS: 68, YC: 20, RC: 1.

CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Sheffield United.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 14 caps for United States.

Let's be honest - Cameron Carter-Vickers' best years are behind him now. The former Premier League stalwart is now barely holding onto his place in a Sheffield United team that failed to reach the Championship play-offs this season. Since Iain Vigurs became Blades boss in October, Carter-Vickers' worrisome disciplinary record has worsened, as he received red cards at Cardiff City and Brentford. The defender has also been shunned by his country, with the United States no longer calling him up for duty. Ability-wise, Cameron has slowed down noticeably, and he has become much more reliant on his right foot. All in all, it's not been a great year.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Sheffield United - APPS: 29, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 1, YC: 8, RC: 2, AV RAT: 6.47.

Career Statistics: APPS: 308, GOALS: 3, ASSISTS: 13, YC: 61, RC: 4.

[CFuller]

Premier League

Top Four: Manchester United (1st), Stoke City (2nd), Hull City (3rd), Newcastle United (4th).

Relegated: Reading (18th), Everton (19th), Blackburn Rovers (20th).

Championship

Promoted: Cardiff City (1st), Swansea City (2nd), Peterborough United (6th).

Also in Play-Offs: Aston Villa (3rd), Brighton & Hove Albion (4th), Leicester City (5th).

Relegated: Southend United (22nd), Crewe Alexandra (23rd), Rotherham United (24th).

League One

Promoted: Port Vale (1st), Luton Town (2nd), Plymouth Argyle (5th).

Also in Play-Offs: Fleetwood Town (3rd), Notts County (4th), Exeter City (6th).

Relegated: Bristol City (21st), Oldham Athletic (22nd), Chesterfield (23rd), Swindon Town (24th).

League Two

Promoted: Milton Keynes Dons (1st), Leyton Orient (2nd), Wycombe Wanderers (3rd), Wrexham (7th).

Also in Play-Offs: Stevenage (4th), Burton Albion (5th), Tranmere Rovers (6th).

Relegated: Gateshead (23rd), Hayes & Yeading United (24th).

Conference Premier

Promoted: Scunthorpe United (1st), Harrogate Town (5th).

Also in Play-Offs: Torquay United (2nd), Boreham Wood (3rd), AFC Wimbledon (4th).

Relegated: Alfreton Town (21st), Bolton Wanderers (22nd), Eastleigh (23rd), Leamington (24th).

Conference North

Promoted: Lincoln City (1st), Altrincham (2nd).

Also in Play-Offs: Ashton United (3rd), Buxton (4th), Chorley (5th).

Relegated: Colwyn Bay (20th), Guiseley (21st), Kidderminster Harriers (22nd).

Conference South

Promoted: Dorchester Town (1st), Slough Town (4th).

Also in Play-Offs: Welling United (2nd), Grays Athletic (3rd), Wealdstone (5th).

Relegated: Hendon (20th), Chippenham Town (21st), Leatherhead (22nd).

Promoted to Conference North/South: Brackley Town, Bury Town, Doncaster Rovers, King's Lynn Town, Kingstonian, Whitehawk.

Cup Winners

FA Cup: Queens Park Rangers 2-0 Manchester United.

League Cup: West Ham United 3-2 Hull City.

Community Shield: West Bromwich Albion 2-1 Arsenal.

Football League Trophy: Huddersfield Town 2-1 Wycombe Wanderers.

UEFA Champions League: Udinese 4-4 Barcelona (7-6 penalties).

UEFA Europa League: 1.FC Koln 3-1 Manchester City.

UEFA Super Cup: Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 AC Milan.

Club World Championship: Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Flamengo.

Major European Leagues

Dutch Eredivisie: Ajax (1st), FC Groningen (2nd), Vitesse (3rd).

French Ligue 1: Paris Saint-Germain (1st), Lyon (2nd), Monaco (3rd).

German Bundesliga: Borussia Dortmund (1st), Bayern Munich (2nd), Wolfsburg (3rd).

Italian Serie A: Juventus (1st), Inter Milan (2nd), AC Milan (3rd).

Portuguese Primeira Liga: Benfica (1st), Sporting CP (2nd), Arouca (3rd).

Russian Premier League: FC Krasnodar (1st), Zenit St Petersburg (2nd), Lokomotiv Moscow (3rd).

Scottish Premiership: Rangers (1st), Celtic (2nd), Hibernian (3rd).

Spanish La Liga: Barcelona (1st), Real Madrid (2nd), Rayo Vallecano (3rd).

UEFA Euro 2028

[Groups]

[Knockout Stages]

Final: Germany 3-2 Portugal.

[mark wilson27]

My god he really is an injury prone diva isn't he.....

[CFuller]

My god he really is an injury prone diva isn't he.....

I don't have much sympathy for Rashford now. He's had so many injuries, yes, but you could argue that he has wasted his talent. What a shame.

[CFuller]

All of our players are now 31 years of age.

This was the first season since the 'Next Generation' project began in which none of our players featured in the Premier League. To be honest, with one or two possible exceptions, it's unlikely that any of them will ever return to the top flight.

After suffering relegation last season with Blackburn Rovers, Kieran Dowell was hopeful that he could quickly get his fellow Lancastrians back into the big time. Dowell would have an amazing season from a personal perspective, but as far as Blackburn were concerned, it would end in pure agony.

Easah Suliman was in much more pain - literally - when he suffered a second skull fracture last autumn. The Brighton & Hove Albion defender found first-team football much harder to come by after that massive scare. Suliman can take some hope from the fact that Harley Willard is still playing, albeit at a much lower standard, after suffering a similar setback eight years ago.

Meanwhile, Cameron Carter-Vickers' stock has continued to plummet, though Dominic Solanke has maintained his solid goalscoring form for Ipswich Town in the Championship. Our Norfolk-based duo of Hamza Choudhury and Adam Phillips are also still going strong and fast becoming part of the Norwich City furniture.

Pretty soon, our stars will have to consider what they will do after their playing days are over, and whether coaching or management will feature in their plans. Some players may reach that particular crossroads before others. One case in point is Stefan Broccoli, who may not be continuing his professional career in Italy for much further if his recent form suggests anything.

CHRIS WILLOCK (AM L)

CURRENT CLUB: Weston-super-Mare.

Chris Willock has played almost everywhere in England, and a summer move to Weston-super-Mare in Somerset put him in new surroundings once again. Typically for Willock, the transfer didn't lead to much success. The winger only scored two goals and made seven assists for the Southern League side. Despite his continued struggles, Chris has decided to stay with the Seagulls for another term after penning a new contract.

Milestones: 30/06/28 - Released by Brackley Town. 15/08/28 - Moved to Weston-super-Mare on free transfer.

Season Statistics: Weston-super-Mare - APPS: 43, GOALS: 2, ASSISTS: 7, YC: 11, RC: 1, AV RAT: 6.75.

Career Statistics: APPS: 199, GOALS: 16, ASSISTS: 32, YC: 44, RC: 3.

EASAH SULIMAN (D LC)

CURRENT CLUB: Brighton & Hove Albion.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 20 caps for Pakistan.

Easah Suliman always has a positive attitude, but this season has really tested that. Having missed some of Brighton & Hove Albion's early games with a calf strain, Suliman suffered a more serious setback while on international duty with Pakistan in October. The centre-back fractured his skull again during an Asian Cup qualifier in Uzbekistan and was out on nearly three months. On his first match back for Brighton's reserves, Easah suffered the additional agony of breaking his leg. That ended his season after just eight first-team appearances. Although the Seagulls initially showed faith in him by offering a new contract, they're now willing to listen to offers for his services.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Brighton & Hove Albion - APPS: 8, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.41.

Career Statistics: APPS: 349, GOALS: 6, ASSISTS: 14, YC: 15, RC: 0.

DOMINIC SOLANKE (F C)

CURRENT CLUB: Ipswich Town.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 5 caps for Nigeria.

For the fourth season in a row, Dominic Solanke reached double figures in terms of Championship goals for Ipswich Town. The striker found the net 11 times in 30 matches as he demonstrated much greater consistency than in the past. Sadly, Solanke's campaign was to be cut short when he twisted his ankle in early March. He'll be back at Portman Road for two more seasons, though, having signed a new deal with the Tractor Boys earlier in October. Ipswich fans will be hoping that Dominic continues to deliver.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Ipswich Town - APPS: 30, GOALS: 11, ASSISTS: 1, YC: 4, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.88.

Career Statistics: APPS: 446, GOALS: 120, ASSISTS: 12, YC: 14, RC: 2.

KIERAN DOWELL (M R, AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Blackburn Rovers.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 3 caps for England Under-19s.

Wide midfielder Kieran Dowell was in outstanding form for Blackburn Rovers this season. Dowell's incredible creativity resulted in him making 16 assists - more than any player in the Championship this season bar Ipswich Town stalwart Afriyie Acquah. He also found the next six times as Blackburn finished 3rd and reached the Play-Off Final - against Kieran's former club Aston Villa. The reunion was to end in tears, as Rovers lost on penalties and were consigned to another season outside of the Premier League. They're unlikely to be kept out for long if their midfield magician continues to weave his wand next term.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Blackburn Rovers - APPS: 40, GOALS: 6, ASSISTS: 16, YC: 1, RC: 2, AV RAT: 7.04.

Career Statistics: APPS: 388, GOALS: 29, ASSISTS: 78, YC: 14, RC: 2.

MATT HINCHLIFFE (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Ilkeston.

Matt Hinchliffe was back playing regular football for part-timers Ilkeston this season. Hinchliffe produced some consistent performances in the Northern Premier League as he indicated that he was not finished with football just yet. Although Matt's aerial ability has waned noticeably, he still scored seven goals - not bad for a centre-back. You get the feeling now that he will perhaps be seeing out his playing days with the Robins.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Ilkeston - APPS: 45, GOALS: 7, ASSISTS: 1, YC: 4, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.89.

Career Statistics: APPS: 222, GOALS: 18, ASSISTS: 9, YC: 23, RC: 1.

HAMZA CHOUDHURY (D L, DM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Norwich City.

Hamza Choudhury may have lost some pace and taken a pay cut, but he's still invaluable to Norwich City. He spent much of this season holding the midfield for the Canaries, who finished 8th in the Championship. Choudhury's performances were solid, although his tally of four assists was a little disappointing. Another blot in his copy book came when he was sent off for two bookable offences against Crewe Alexandra in the League Cup. Otherwise, there's little to suggest that Hamza is going to decline any time soon.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Norwich City - APPS: 38, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 4, YC: 3, RC: 1, AV RAT: 7.08.

Career Statistics: APPS: 536, GOALS: 11, ASSISTS: 78, YC: 53, RC: 3.

ADAM PHILLIPS (AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Norwich City.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 2 caps for England Under-19s.

Considering that he missed nearly two months with a hernia during the autumn, Adam Phillips has not had a bad campaign. Phillips has continued to be Norwich City's main creative outlet, with 11 goals being set up by the attacking midfielder. Less positively, he picked up an awful lot of yellow cards during the season, and he's lost a lot of his strength, making it easier for him to be tackled off the ball. Adam has at least one more year at the Norwich Stadium, after which it is likely that he will seek a new challenge.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Norwich City - APPS: 41, GOALS: 3, ASSISTS: 11, YC: 12, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.93.

Career Statistics: APPS: 280, GOALS: 18, ASSISTS: 68, YC: 67, RC: 1.

TOSIN ADARABIOYO (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Plymouth Argyle. PREVIOUS CLUBS: Wycombe Wanderers (loan).

I'm afraid to say that Tosin Adarabioyo's game has completely withered since he moved to Plymouth Argyle in 2026. This season was Adarabioyo's most frustrating to date at Home Park. He was left to rot in the development team until late October, when he was allowed to join League One side Wycombe Wanderers. After returning to the south coast, Tosin featured just three times for the Pilgrims - twice as a substitute. His contract with Plymouth runs for another year, but don't be surprised if he leaves before that deal expires.

Milestones: 23/10/28 - Moved to Wycombe Wanderers on loan. 28/10/28 - Debut for Wycombe Wanderers vs Middlesbrough.

Season Statistics: Wycombe Wanderers - APPS: 4, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.37.

Plymouth Argyle - APPS: 3, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.45.

Career Statistics: APPS: 324, GOALS: 14, ASSISTS: 16, YC: 26, RC: 1.

MARCUS RASHFORD (AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Mansfield Town. PREVIOUS CLUBS: Southend United.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 5 caps for England Under-19s.

Marcus Rashford's relationship with Southend United came to an acrimonious end in mid-January. Rashford's contract was terminated by mutual consent after he made just a single substitute appearance in his sixth and final term at Roots Hall. Marcus was soon off to League Two side Mansfield Town, for whom he was anything but impressive. Any attacker who scores just once in 13 games is bound to be very disappointed. To be fair, a couple of injuries earlier in the season have completely taken away his once-explosive pace.

Milestones: 21/01/29 - Released by Southend United. 31/01/29 - Moved to Mansfield Town on free transfer. 03/02/29 - Debut for Mansfield Town vs Scunthorpe United.

Season Statistics: Southend United - APPS: 1, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.40.

Mansfield Town - APPS: 13, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 1, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.63.

Career Statistics: APPS: 281, GOALS: 51, ASSISTS: 7, YC: 14, RC: 0.

STEFAN BROCCOLI (M C)

CURRENT CLUB: Vigor Lamezia.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 2 caps for Italy Under-19s.

Stefan Broccoli will want to get this season out of the way very quickly. He signed for Lega Pro Division C side Vigor Lamezia just days after being released by Robur Siena, but things did not go as he had planned. Broccoli never really settled at Guido D'Ippolito, and a hip injury in November only made things worse. After just one season, in which Stefan's form could be described as terrible at the very best, the Vigorini have deemed him surplus to requirements. They will listen to any offers for the hard-working midfielder, whose ability has dwindled rapidly in recent years.

Milestones: 30/06/28 - Released by Robur Siena. 04/07/28 - Moved to Vigor Lamezia on free transfer.

Season Statistics: Vigor Lamezia - APPS: 24, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 4, YC: 7, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.22.

Career Statistics: APPS: 309, GOALS: 14, ASSISTS: 40, YC: 44, RC: 4.

TOM MATTHEWS (D RC)

CURRENT CLUB: Exeter City.

Tom Matthews had a difficult start to the season at Exeter City, not least when he broke his ankle early on in a League Cup match against Southampton. Matthews was a regular in the Grecians backline up until then, but after coming back from the injury, he found himself sitting on the bench more often than not. While Exeter progressed to the League One Play-Offs again, Tom's action was limited to 11 starts and 10 substitute appearances. The right-back is likely to leave St James's Park again this summer, but there will be interest in a player with his vast experience.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Exeter City - APPS: 21, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.51.

Career Statistics: APPS: 359, GOALS: 18, ASSISTS: 6, YC: 35, RC: 4.

HARLEY WILLARD (M L, AM RL)

CURRENT CLUB: Elgin City.

Wide midfielder Harley Willard was much more of a bit-part player for Elgin City this season, and it's not hard to understand why. Willard didn't contribute a single goal or assist for the Scottish League Two side - indeed, he was largely a liability, as he received a couple of red cards. It was a surprise, then, to hear that Elgin offered him new terms at the end of the season. To be honest, it was hard to see where else Harley could go if he had been released.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Elgin City - APPS: 12, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 1, RC: 2, AV RAT: 6.45.

Career Statistics: APPS: 123, GOALS: 6, ASSISTS: 15, YC: 21, RC: 4.

OLIVER SHENTON (M C)

CURRENT CLUB: Rotherham United.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 1 cap for England Under-19s.

Things have suddenly turned very sour for Oliver Shenton at Rotherham United. Having been a regular starter during the Millers' brief return to the Championship, the midfielder found himself reduced to a back-up option in League One. The main reason behind this change of fortunes has perhaps been Shenton's falling-out with new Rotherham boss Karl Robinson. The ex-Everton manager only gave him eight starts as the Millers won promotion at the first time of asking. Oliver did showcase his ability with five assists, but his talent and experience is largely being ignored, which is sad.

Milestones: 21/04/29 - Promoted from League One.

Season Statistics: Rotherham United - APPS: 32, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 5, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.61.

Career Statistics: APPS: 480, GOALS: 13, ASSISTS: 73, YC: 21, RC: 1.

CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Leicester City.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 14 caps for United States.

Back in 2024, Sheffield United paid £10,250,000 to sign Cameron Carter-Vickers. Four years on, they were happy to offload him to Championship rivals Leicester City for just £400,000. Returning to the King Power Stadium, where a then-youthful Carter-Vickers spent time on loan a decade ago, has sparked his career back into life just as it seemed that he was on a permanent downward spiral. He reinvented himself as a powerful right-back, where he produced some lion-hearted performances for the Foxes. Leicester fell short in the Championship Play-Offs, but Cameron can look back on this campaign in a positive way.

Milestones: 04/08/28 - Moved to Leicester City for £400,000.

Season Statistics: Leicester City - APPS: 40, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 1, YC: 12, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.72.

Career Statistics: APPS: 348, GOALS: 4, ASSISTS: 14, YC: 73, RC: 4.

[CFuller]

Premier League

Top Four: Manchester City (1st), Arsenal (2nd), Stoke City (3rd), Queens Park Rangers (4th).

Relegated: West Ham United (18th), Sunderland (19th), Peterborough United (20th).

Championship

Promoted: Everton (1st), Brighton & Hove Albion (2nd), Aston Villa (4th).

Also in Play-Offs: Blackburn Rovers (3rd), Sheffield United (5th), Leicester City (6th).

Relegated: Wolverhampton Wanderers (22nd), Plymouth Argyle (23rd), Bradford City (24th).

League One

Promoted: Southend United (1st), Rotherham United (2nd), Burnley (4th).

Also in Play-Offs: Huddersfield Town (3rd), Exeter City (5th), Crewe Alexandra (6th).

Relegated: Middlesbrough (21st), Milton Keynes Dons (22nd), Coventry City (23rd), Wycombe Wanderers (24th).

League Two

Promoted: Oldham Athletic (1st), Tranmere Rovers (2nd), Aldershot Town (3rd), Blackpool (7th).

Also in Play-Offs: Barnsley (4th), Carlisle United (5th), Morecambe (6th).

Relegated: York City (23rd), Scunthorpe United (24th).

Conference Premier

Promoted: Hayes & Yeading United (1st), Gateshead (2nd).

Also in Play-Offs: Woking (3rd), Lincoln City (4th), AFC Wimbledon (5th).

Relegated: Hednesford Town (21st), AFC Fylde (22nd), Margate (23rd), Altrincham (24th).

Conference North

Promoted: Alfreton (1st), Bolton Wanderers (5th).

Also in Play-Offs: Chorley (2nd), Buxton (3rd), King's Lynn Town (4th).

Relegated: Stockport County (20th), Bury Town (21st), Leamington (22nd).

Conference South

Promoted: Grays Athletic (1st), Maidstone United (2nd).

Also in Play-Offs: Bishop's Stortford (3rd), Bognor Regis Town (4th), Cheltenham Town (5th).

Relegated: AFC Hornchurch (20th), Maidenhead United (21st), Whitehawk (22nd).

Promoted to Conference North/South: Chelmsford City, Dulwich Hamlet, Guiseley, Histon, Hyde, Kidderminster Harriers.

Cup Winners

FA Cup: Stoke City 2-0 Manchester City.

League Cup: Manchester United 3-0 Brentford.

Community Shield: Manchester United 4-2 Queens Park Rangers.

Football League Trophy: Huddersfield Town 2-1 Crewe Alexandra.

UEFA Champions League: Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 Manchester United.

UEFA Europa League: AC Milan 3-2 Manchester City.

UEFA Super Cup: Udinese 4-2 1.FC Koln.

Club World Championship: Flamengo 1-0 Udinese.

Major European Leagues

Dutch Eredivisie: Ajax (1st), Feyenoord (2nd), FC Groningen (3rd).

French Ligue 1: Paris Saint-Germain (1st), Monaco (2nd), Saint-Etienne (3rd).

German Bundesliga: Wolfsburg (1st), Bayer Leverkusen (2nd), Borussia Moenchengladbach (3rd).

Italian Serie A: Napoli (1st), AC Milan (2nd), Udinese (3rd).

Portuguese Primeira Liga: Braga (1st), Benfica (2nd), Sporting CP (3rd).

Russian Premier League: Dinamo Moscow (1st), Zenit St Petersburg (2nd), FC Krasnodar (3rd).

Scottish Premiership: Celtic (1st), Rangers (2nd), Partick Thistle (3rd).

Spanish La Liga: Barcelona (1st), Real Madrid (2nd), Rayo Vallecano (3rd).

[mark wilson27]

I don't have much sympathy for Rashford now. He's had so many injuries, yes, but you could argue that he has wasted his talent. What a shame.

I know what you mean.... I could name a certain player from Aston Villa who could be heading that way, not with the injuries but in general wasting his talent

[CFuller]

I know what you mean.... I could name a certain player from Aston Villa who could be heading that way, not with the injuries but in general wasting his talent

I fear that Jack Grealish is going to be another Lee Sharpe if he doesn't knuckle down soon.

Here is the story of what has happened to Grealish in this FM universe. He held down a starting place at Villa Park and then moved to Everton for £28million in 2019 following his beloved Villa's relegation. Three years later, he joined Manchester City for £40.5million... but he pretty much went to waste there. After six difficult years with the Citizens, Grealish moved to Swansea for £195,000 before the season that has just gone. He has 97 caps for the Republic of Ireland.

Compared to the likes of Solanke and Rashford, Grealish has actually done very well for himself. Then again, he's two years older and he started the save with some very good attributes.

[leonavich]

I'm a Mansfield Town fan, so good to see one of the lads head that-a-ways. But a shame the form didn't pick up.

[CFuller]

I'm a Mansfield Town fan, so good to see one of the lads head that-a-ways. But a shame the form didn't pick up.

Rashford seems to be getting plenty of attention, but his ability really has fallen off a cliff in recent years. I can't imagine him playing on for too much longer if that continues. As for Mansfield, they've merely been a mid-table League Two side in recent years, and I'm afraid to say that hasn't changed much since last season.

[CFuller]

All of our players are now 32 years of age.

The 'Next Generation' project began 16 years ago, following 20 footballers on their quest to football stardom. We have now been tracking the remaining 14 for almost exactly half of their lives.

After last season's Premier League wipe-out, we were pleased to see one player return for what will surely be his final crack at the big time. Easah Suliman stayed at Brighton & Hove Albion as they soared back into the top flight, although he didn't see much in the way of competitive action.

Kieran Dowell continued to excel in the Championship, even if his Blackburn Rovers team-mates failed to reach similar heights. It was a less pleasant story for our Norwich City duo, who suffered the disappointment of a surprise relegation to League One.

Transfer-wise, there wasn't a great deal of movement involving our players this season. Tom Matthews and Oliver Shenton were the only two to switch clubs over the summer, and they don't seem to have done too badly since.

Things are rather less rosy for Tosin Adarabioyo and Harley Willard, who are currently without clubs. Is there still demand for our ageing stars, or will it soon be time for them to call it a day?

CHRIS WILLOCK (AM L)

CURRENT CLUB: Weston-super-Mare.

Chris Willock really dazzled at times for Weston-super-Mare this season, providing 17 assists for the Southern League club. A less positive side of the midfielder's game was his aggression, which led to a slew of yellow cards. Willock's customary inconsistency has also worried Weston, who have hesitated to give him a new contract. If Chris isn't retained at the Woodspring Stadium, it's anyone's guess as to what he does or where he goes next.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Weston-super-Mare - APPS: 40, GOALS: 3, ASSISTS: 17, YC: 13, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.78.

Career Statistics: APPS: 239, GOALS: 19, ASSISTS: 49, YC: 57, RC: 3.

EASAH SULIMAN (D LC)

CURRENT CLUB: Brighton & Hove Albion.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 26 caps for Pakistan.

After last season's injury horrors, Easah Suliman has had some better luck on that front. Suliman has also had to show great resilience to try and get back his place in the Brighton & Hove Albion team. That was easier said than done, but the defender was still able to start nearly a quarter of the Seagulls' Premier League matches. Sadly, he did not perform particularly well in any of them. Brighton went on to achieve their best ever Premier League finish of 10th, and it seems that they have now outgrown Easah. It may be wise for him to bid farewell to top-level football and drop down to a lower division, where his defensive knowledge could be put to much better use.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Brighton & Hove Albion - APPS: 12, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.47.

Career Statistics: APPS: 361, GOALS: 6, ASSISTS: 14, YC: 16, RC: 0.

DOMINIC SOLANKE (AM R, F C)

CURRENT CLUB: Ipswich Town.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 5 caps for Nigeria.

Dominic Solanke is no longer Ipswich Town's lead frontman, and as a result, his goalscoring ability seems to have dried up somewhat. New Tractor Boys boss Tommy Spurr preferred to use Solanke on the right wing in a 4-3-3 formation this season. He didn't take to his new position well, as his lack of creativity often hindered Ipswich. Spurr was sacked at the end of the campaign, and Dominic will hope that new gaffer Neil Lennon restores him to his more customary position. Could the prolific speed demon be set for one last hurrah at Portman Road?

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Ipswich Town - APPS: 41, GOALS: 9, ASSISTS: 2, YC: 2, RC: 1, AV RAT: 6.57.

Career Statistics: APPS: 487, GOALS: 129, ASSISTS: 14, YC: 16, RC: 3.

KIERAN DOWELL (M R, AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Blackburn Rovers.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 3 caps for England Under-19s.

Blackburn Rovers had their worst season for 17 years, finishing 13th in the Championship, but you cannot blame Kieran Dowell for their slump. Indeed, Dowell was an ever-present in the league for Rovers, for whom he was one of their top performers. Whether he was playing just behind the striker under Neil Lennon or on the right side of midfield under Lennon's successor Callum McManaman, he continued to score or create goals with great regularity. Kieran's professional attitude has also endeared him to Rovers fans and coaches alike. His technical ability may be declining a little, but with his impressive footballing intelligence, he could continue to play at Championship level for years.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Blackburn Rovers - APPS: 48, GOALS: 10, ASSISTS: 13, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.95.

Career Statistics: APPS: 436, GOALS: 39, ASSISTS: 91, YC: 15, RC: 2.

MATT HINCHLIFFE (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Ilkeston.

Matt Hinchliffe has completed his fourth term at Ilkeston, where he has been in excellent form. Hinchliffe's solid displays in the centre of the Robins' defence really helped them out in the Northern Premier League. However, it seems that he may not be staying at Ilkeston for much longer. The Derbyshire club are opting for a change of strategy to try and win promotion to the Conference North, and Matt could be one of those players that gets culled from the squad.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Ilkeston - APPS: 43, GOALS: 7, ASSISTS: 1, YC: 2, RC: 0, AV RAT: 7.07.

Career Statistics: APPS: 265, GOALS: 25, ASSISTS: 10, YC: 25, RC: 1.

HAMZA CHOUDHURY (D L, DM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Norwich City.

Left-back/defensive midfielder Hamza Choudhury has never been anything other than Mr Consistent at Norwich City. He missed just one Championship match due to suspension, and when the season was over, City fans voted him as Norwich's Player of the Year. It was a somewhat hollow victory for Choudhury, who couldn't prevent his team from being relegated to League One. Like many other Norwich players, Hamza has sought a transfer away from the Norwich Stadium, and it'll be very surprising if he's not snapped up by another Championship club this summer.

Milestones: 06/04/30 - Relegated from Championship.

Season Statistics: Norwich City - APPS: 48, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 5, YC: 5, RC: 1, AV RAT: 7.08.

Career Statistics: APPS: 584, GOALS: 11, ASSISTS: 83, YC: 58, RC: 4.

ADAM PHILLIPS (AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Norwich City.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 2 caps for England Under-19s.

Adam Phillips is not the assist machine he used to be at Norwich City. Phillips tore his hamstring in November, and since his return, the midfielder's passing has been uncharacteristically sloppy. That certainly did not help the Canaries, who lost their battle for Championship survival and finished bottom. Adam signed a new deal at the Norwich Stadium in January, meaning that he can stay there until 2032 if he wishes. Since City's relegation, though, he has made it very clear that he wishes to end his six-year stint in Norfolk and move elsewhere.

Milestones: 06/04/30 - Relegated from Championship.

Season Statistics: Norwich City - APPS: 31, GOALS: 2, ASSISTS: 4, YC: 7, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.84.

Career Statistics: APPS: 311, GOALS: 20, ASSISTS: 72, YC: 74, RC: 1.

TOSIN ADARABIOYO (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: unattached. PREVIOUS CLUBS: Plymouth Argyle.

Centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo's Plymouth Argyle nightmare ended in January, when he was released from Home Park. Adarabioyo had not made a single appearance for the Pilgrims this season. Since then, Tosin has studied for his first FA coaching badges, with a view to a new career once his playing days are over. So far, he is undecided about whether he will resume playing with another club next season.

Milestones: 31/01/30 - Released by Plymouth Argyle.

Season Statistics: no senior appearances.

Career Statistics: APPS: 324, GOALS: 14, ASSISTS: 16, YC: 26, RC: 1.

MARCUS RASHFORD (AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Mansfield Town.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 5 caps for England Under-19s.

Attacking midfielder Marcus Rashford has blown hot and cold for Mansfield Town this season. He scored five goals and made the same number of assists in League Two this season, but his form really went downhill late on. Despite his springtime slump, Rashford is determined to fight for his place at Mansfield for at least another season. Marcus has also been looking ahead to life after playing, and he has stated recently that he would like to go into management once his playing days are over. That time may yet be some way off.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Mansfield Town - APPS: 30, GOALS: 5, ASSISTS: 6, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.51.

Career Statistics: APPS: 311, GOALS: 56, ASSISTS: 13, YC: 14, RC: 0.

STEFAN BROCCOLI (M C)

CURRENT CLUB: Vigor Lamezia.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 2 caps for Italy Under-19s.

Stefan Broccoli may be fast approaching the end of his career. A sports hernia in January and a twisted knee in April have really slowed down what was once a very physical holding midfielder. Before his season-ending knee injury, Broccoli played 15 times for Vigor Lamezia in Lega Pro Division C, and his performances were absolutely terrible. The Vigorini have no intention of renewing Stefan's contract, so he will either have to find a new club or call it a day.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Vigor Lamezia - APPS: 15, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 1, RC: 1, AV RAT: 6.07.

Career Statistics: APPS: 324, GOALS: 14, ASSISTS: 40, YC: 45, RC: 5.

TOM MATTHEWS (D RC)

CURRENT CLUB: Wrexham.

After a bitter end to his second spell at Exeter City, Tom Matthews moved on to another League One club. Matthews was a regular presence at right-back for Wrexham, where his supreme fitness and excellent defensive awareness should have stood him in good stead. It didn't quite turn out like that, as Tom struggled for consistency and couldn't quite take the Red Dragons into the play-offs. He has, though, done enough to earn another year at the Racecourse Ground.

Milestones: 01/07/29 - Released by Exeter City. 07/08/29 - Moved to Wrexham on free transfer. 11/08/29 - Debut for Wrexham vs Crewe Alexandra.

Season Statistics: Wrexham - APPS: 29, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 3, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.63.

Career Statistics: APPS: 388, GOALS: 19, ASSISTS: 6, YC: 38, RC: 4.

HARLEY WILLARD (M L, AM RL)

CURRENT CLUB: unattached. PREVIOUS CLUBS: Elgin City.

With his game almost completely diminished by injuries, including a damaged spine in October, Harley Willard was let go by Elgin City in January. The midfielder had earlier turned down the opportunity to stay in Scottish League Two with Clachnacuddin. That suggests that Willard is already looking to a future in coaching. Harley now holds a UEFA C Licence after studying in his spare time, so he may soon be ready to take that next step in his life.

Milestones: 31/01/30 - Released by Elgin City.

Season Statistics: no senior appearances.

Career Statistics: APPS: 123, GOALS: 6, ASSISTS: 15, YC: 21, RC: 4.

OLIVER SHENTON (M C)

CURRENT CLUB: Coventry City. PREVIOUS CLUBS: Rotherham United.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 1 cap for England Under-19s.

Oliver Shenton started the season with a couple of appearances for Rotherham United, where the midfielder was becoming increasingly unsettled. Shenton then decided to leave the New York Stadium and return to Coventry City for a second spell. He settled in so quickly at the Ricoh Arena that it almost felt like he'd never been away. Oliver provided ten assists as vice-captain for the Sky Blues, who were disappointed to only finish 14th in League Two. Much better things will be expected next season.

Milestones: 17/08/29 - Moved to Coventry City for £28,500.

Season Statistics: Rotherham United - APPS: 2, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.70.

Coventry City - APPS: 45, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 10, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.83.

Career Statistics: APPS: 527, GOALS: 15, ASSISTS: 83, YC: 22, RC: 1.

CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Leicester City.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 14 caps for United States.

Even during his recent struggles, Cameron Carter-Vickers has remained determined to play to the best of his ability. His never-say-die attitude wasn't rewarded this season, as his club Leicester City barely scraped into the Championship's top half. Although Carter-Vickers has been praised for his cool and calm passing when under pressure, he has lost some pace, often leaving Leicester exposed against quick attacks. In spite of that, he is seen as a candidate to become the Foxes' new captain, now that their previous skipper Sami Amara has gone to Brighton & Hove Albion. Alternatively, Cameron could have one last shot at the Premier League, possibly with Reading.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Leicester City - APPS: 35, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 1, YC: 7, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.56.

Career Statistics: APPS: 383, GOALS: 5, ASSISTS: 15, YC: 80, RC: 4.

[CFuller]

Premier League

Top Four: Manchester City (1st), Manchester United (2nd), Arsenal (3rd), Queens Park Rangers (4th).

Relegated: Derby County (18th), Cardiff City (19th), Aston Villa (20th).

Championship

Promoted: Reading (1st), Sheffield United (2nd), Sunderland (6th).

Also in Play-Offs: West Ham United (3rd), Charlton Athletic (4th), Sheffield Wednesday (5th).

Relegated: Burnley (22nd), Shrewsbury Town (23rd), Norwich City (24th).

League One

Promoted: Huddersfield Town (1st), Wigan Athletic (2nd), Wolverhampton Wanderers (5th).

Also in Play-Offs: Oldham Athletic (3rd), Plymouth Argyle (4th), Fleetwood Town (6th).

Relegated: Cambridge United (21st), Blackpool (22nd), Crewe Alexandra (23rd), Colchester United (24th).

League Two

Promoted: Middlesbrough (1st), Barnet (2nd), Crawley Town (3rd), Milton Keynes Dons (5th).

Also in Play-Offs: Wycombe Wanderers (4th), Swindon Town (6th), Chester (7th).

Relegated: Yeovil Town (23rd), Hartlepool United (24th).

Conference Premier

Promoted: Boreham Wood (1st), AFC Wimbledon (5th).

Also in Play-Offs: Lincoln City (2nd), Dagenham & Redbridge (3rd), Torquay United (4th).

Relegated: Grays Athletic (21st), Bath City (22nd), Slough Town (23rd), Dorchester Town (24th).

Conference North

Promoted: Barwell (1st), FC Halifax Town (2nd).

Also in Play-Offs: Buxton (3rd), Bradford Park Avenue (4th), Nuneaton Town (5th).

Relegated: Histon (20th), Kidderminster Harriers (21st), Altrincham (22nd).

Conference South

Promoted: Cambridge City (1st), Cheltenham Town (2nd).

Also in Play-Offs: Sutton United (3rd), Havant & Waterlooville (4th), Welling United (5th).

Relegated: Dulwich Hamlet (20th), Chelmsford City (21st), Kingstonian (22nd).

Promoted to Conference North/South: Canvey Island, Gloucester City, Hampton & Richmond Borough, Leamington, North Ferriby United, Stockport County.

Cup Winners

FA Cup: Manchester United 1-0 Chelsea.

League Cup: Cardiff City 3-1 Manchester City.

Community Shield: Manchester City 2-1 Stoke City.

Football League Trophy: Huddersfield Town 1-1 Portsmouth (4-1 penalties).

UEFA Champions League: Paris Saint-Germain 4-2 Real Madrid.

UEFA Europa League: Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Udinese.

UEFA Super Cup: Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 AC Milan.

Club World Championship: Paris Saint-Germain 1-1 Corinthians (12-11 penalties).

Major European Leagues

Dutch Eredivisie: FC Utrecht (1st), ADO Den Haag (2nd), Ajax (3rd).

French Ligue 1: Paris Saint-Germain (1st), Lyon (2nd), Lens (3rd).

German Bundesliga: Wolfsburg (1st), Bayern Munich (2nd), 1.FC Koln (3rd).

Italian Serie A: Juventus (1st), Napoli (2nd), Udinese (3rd).

Portuguese Primeira Liga: Benfica (1st), Arouca (2nd), Braga (3rd).

Russian Premier League: FC Krasnodar (1st), Spartak Moscow (2nd), Dinamo Moscow (3rd).

Scottish Premiership: Rangers (1st), Celtic (2nd), Hamilton Academical (3rd).

Spanish La Liga: Barcelona (1st), Real Madrid (2nd), Sevilla (3rd).

2030 FIFA World Cup

[Groups A-D]

[Groups E-H]

[Knockout Stages]

Final: Brazil 2-1 Germany.

[CFuller]

All of our players are now 33 years of age.

There will come a time in every footballer's career when they'll have to think long and hard about retiring. For most players who have what one would consider a full career, that time will come at around their mid-30s. Others may decide to play on for a bit longer, perhaps when they're closer to 40 years old, if not past that age. Anyone who desires to emulate Sir Stanley Matthews and continue playing into their 50s, though, is probably being overly ambitious.

Stefan Broccoli and Easah Suliman each have a more realistic view on football and life. At 33, they've each decided that now is the time to hang up their boots for good. Suliman is quite happy to go out now on his own terms after a reasonably successful career. Broccoli's retirement is more enforced, as he has been unable to find a new club after being released by Vigor Lamezia.

While a lot of footballers want to bow out at or near the top, some - like Harley Willard - are content with playing on at any level. Willard's latest Scottish transfer has taken him to the semi-professional Highland League - a far cry from where he started out at Arsenal and later Southampton.

Elsewhere, we've seen the long-standing Norwich City partnership of Hamza Choudhury and Adam Phillips broken up by the Canaries' relegation to League One. Choudhury has already moved on, while Phillips could also be leaving City for pastures new this summer.

We've also seen yet another outstanding season in the Championship, creatively-speaking, from Kieran Dowell at Blackburn Rovers. The big question as far as Dowell is concerned is this - how long can he sustain his excellent form for?

CHRIS WILLOCK (AM L)

CURRENT CLUB: Weston-super-Mare.

It's very unusual for Chris Willock to stay at a club for a third season, but that's what the midfielder did after agreeing non-contract terms with Weston-super-Mare. Indeed, it looks likely that he will see out his playing days at the Southern League club. Willock's creativity wasn't quite at the same level as it was last season, when he made 17 assists. Despite that, Chris is still considered to be a useful squad player for the Seagulls.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Weston-super-Mare - APPS: 42, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 6, YC: 6, RC: 1, AV RAT: 6.58.

Career Statistics: APPS: 281, GOALS: 20, ASSISTS: 55, YC: 63, RC: 4.

EASAH SULIMAN (D LC)

[RETIRED] PREVIOUS CLUBS: Brighton & Hove Albion.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 34 caps for Pakistan.

Injuries have sadly caught up with Easah Suliman, and at the age of 33, his football career is over. The experienced defender made just one appearance for Brighton & Hove Albion this term, in their first home Premier League game of the season against Queens Park Rangers. Three months later, after being left to rot in the development team, Suliman announced that he would retire after seeing out his contract. Easah kept to his word, and he will now leave football to pursue business interests in his native Birmingham.

Milestones: 21/06/31 - Retired from football.

Season Statistics: Brighton & Hove Albion - APPS: 1, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: n/a.

Career Statistics: APPS: 362, GOALS: 6, ASSISTS: 14, YC: 16, RC: 0.

DOMINIC SOLANKE (AM R, F C)

CURRENT CLUB: Ipswich Town.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 5 caps for Nigeria.

Time may have inevitably slowed him down, but Dominic Solanke is still a prolific Championship-quality striker. He found the net nine times in what would be his sixth and final season at Ipswich Town, for whom he scored a grand total of 74 goals. Although Solanke was widely respected at Portman Road, he has decided to leave after the Tractor Boys suffered the agony of relegation to League One. Dominic will be heading to the West Midlands this summer, having signed a pre-contract agreement with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Milestones: 03/05/31 - Relegated from Championship.

Season Statistics: Ipswich Town - APPS: 45, GOALS: 9, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.62.

Career Statistics: APPS: 532, GOALS: 138, ASSISTS: 14, YC: 17, RC: 3.

KIERAN DOWELL (M R, AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Blackburn Rovers.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 3 caps for England Under-19s.

Like a fine wine, Kieran Dowell is getting better - and seemingly fitter - with age. The midfielder started no fewer than 54 matches in all competitions for Blackburn Rovers. Indeed, the only Championship game Dowell missed all season was the Play-Off Final, which Blackburn lost to Sheffield Wednesday in extra-time. How Rovers could have done with a man who provided 16 league assists this season. Kieran is widely loved by Blackburn fans, and some have nicknamed him the 'Duracell bunny', because he just keeps on going. It seems that the feeling is mutual, as he has agreed to stay at Ewood Park for at least one more year.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Blackburn Rovers - APPS: 54, GOALS: 7, ASSISTS: 18, YC: 2, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.90.

Career Statistics: APPS: 490, GOALS: 46, ASSISTS: 109, YC: 17, RC: 2.

MATT HINCHLIFFE (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Ilkeston.

Matt Hinchliffe's fifth season at Ilkeston was, like the previous four, solid if unspectacular. Interestingly, the centre-back scored nine goals in all competitions for the Northern Premier League outfit before his campaign was ended by a twisted ankle in March. Once again, though, it's anyone's guess as to whether Hinchliffe will stay with the Robins. Matt really doesn't have much stamina these days, and you have to wonder how long he'll carry on playing for.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Ilkeston - APPS: 40, GOALS: 9, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 2, RC: 1, AV RAT: 7.05.

Career Statistics: APPS: 305, GOALS: 34, ASSISTS: 10, YC: 27, RC: 2.

HAMZA CHOUDHURY (D L, DM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Norwich City's relegation to League One prompted Hamza Choudhury to leave a club he had grown very fond of. Choudhury's next destination was Wolverhampton Wanderers, where his versatility was not recognised as strongly. Wolves boss Owen Heary saw the left-back/midfielder as merely a squad player rather than a regular starter. Typically, Hamza always worked hard whenever he got the opportunity to play, and his defensive skills helped Wolves to finish 9th in the Championship.

Milestones: 16/07/30 - Moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers for £275,000. 10/08/30 - Debut for Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Sheffield Wednesday.

Season Statistics: Wolverhampton Wanderers - APPS: 26, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 4, YC: 4, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.82.

Career Statistics: APPS: 610, GOALS: 11, ASSISTS: 87, YC: 62, RC: 4.

ADAM PHILLIPS (AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Norwich City.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 2 caps for England Under-19s.

Unlike Hamza Choudhury, midfield maestro Adam Phillips had little choice but to stay at Norwich City following their relegation. With no offers forthcoming, Phillips had to continue producing the goods for Norwich in League One. The veteran demonstrated his class with 14 league assists as the Canaries battled for promotion back to the Championship. Sadly, Adam's efforts were not enough, as his team lost in the Play-Off Semi Finals to Portsmouth. He is now more determined to leave the Norwich Stadium this season for one last shot at the Championship.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Norwich City - APPS: 43, GOALS: 3, ASSISTS: 15, YC: 13, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.91.

Career Statistics: APPS: 354, GOALS: 23, ASSISTS: 87, YC: 87, RC: 1.

TOSIN ADARABIOYO (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Yeovil Town.

Following the end of his unhappy spell at Plymouth Argyle, defender Tosin Adarabioyo stayed in the south-west, signing for Yeovil Town. The Glovers had just been relegated to the Conference Premier, but with Adarabioyo's assistance, they swiftly regained their Football League status. On was a solid presence at the back, even though he only played in 24 league games. Tosin has said that, if Yeovil do not keep him on, he will seriously think about hanging up his boots.

Milestones: 18/07/30 - Moved to Yeovil Town on free transfer. 10/08/30 - Debut for Yeovil Town vs Macclesfield Town. 19/04/31 - Won Conference Premier.

Season Statistics: Yeovil Town - APPS: 27, GOALS: 3, ASSISTS: 4, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.91.

Career Statistics: APPS: 351, GOALS: 17, ASSISTS: 20, YC: 26, RC: 1.

MARCUS RASHFORD (AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Mansfield Town.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 5 caps for England Under-19s.

Some people say that it's better to burn out than fade away, but Marcus Rashford does not subscribe to that. He is happily winding down his playing days with Mansfield Town, who reached the League Two play-offs this year. The Stags use their veteran playmaker sparingly these days, and although Rashford doesn't hit his best form very often, he is a joy to watch when he does. Marcus' experience is rubbing off on the younger players at Field Mill, and they'll be benefitting from his wisdom for at least one more season.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Mansfield Town - APPS: 31, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 4, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.43.

Career Statistics: APPS: 342, GOALS: 57, ASSISTS: 17, YC: 15, RC: 0.

STEFAN BROCCOLI (M C)

[RETIRED]

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 2 caps for Italy Under-19s.

We've said goodbye to Stefan Broccoli, whose career had gradually gone downhill in recent years. Following Broccoli's latest disastrous stint at Vigor Lamezia, no Italian clubs were willing to take the English-born midfielder on. Stefan has therefore decided to call time on his playing days and pursue a career in coaching. He currently holds a UEFA A Licence, which he qualified for while still at Lamezia.

Milestones: 30/06/30 - Released by Vigor Lamezia. 02/12/30 - Retired from football.

Career Statistics: APPS: 324, GOALS: 14, ASSISTS: 40, YC: 45, RC: 5.

TOM MATTHEWS (D RC)

CURRENT CLUB: Wrexham.

Tom Matthews remains determined to continue playing, despite having more than half of his season wiped out by knee tendonitis. He was unable to play for League One side Wrexham between October and March, when he steadily worked his way back into the Red Dragons' team. By the end of the campaign, Matthews had featured just 15 times. Wrexham have not yet offered Tom a new contract, but if one is not forthcoming, he won't be short of options. Middlesbrough and Millwall are said to be following his situation closely.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Wrexham - APPS: 15, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 4, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.60.

Career Statistics: APPS: 403, GOALS: 19, ASSISTS: 6, YC: 42, RC: 4.

HARLEY WILLARD (M L, AM RL)

CURRENT CLUB: Fraserburgh.

Against all odds, Harley Willard, whose life was nearly ended by a sickening skull fracture almost a decade ago, is still plugging along at 33. These days, he turns out in the semi-professional Highland League for Fraserburgh. Willard's first season at Bellslea Park saw him score twice and make six assists. Harley has regained his love for playing, and he's already committed himself to another year at Fraserburgh.

Milestones: 09/07/30 - Moved to Fraserburgh on free transfer.

Season Statistics: Fraserburgh - APPS: 29, GOALS: 2, ASSISTS: 6, YC: 7, RC: 1, AV RAT: 6.72.

Career Statistics: APPS: 152, GOALS: 8, ASSISTS: 21, YC: 28, RC: 5.

OLIVER SHENTON (DM/M C)

CURRENT CLUB: Coventry City.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 1 cap for England Under-19s.

Oliver Shenton's second season in his second spell at Coventry City was a fine one statistically. Now playing as a defensive midfielder and serving as captain, Shenton delighted the Sky Blues with 17 assists in 55 matches. However, that impressive form disguised some serious issues behind the scenes. Oliver rejected a new contract with Coventry just before the League Two play-offs, and then turned down another offer after they lost the Final to Walsall. Unless this situation is resolved quickly, he'll be leaving the Ricoh Arena again very soon.

Milestones: 05/08/30 - Appointed as Coventry City captain.

Season Statistics: Coventry City - APPS: 55, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 17, YC: 2, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.75.

Career Statistics: APPS: 582, GOALS: 16, ASSISTS: 100, YC: 24, RC: 1.

CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Leicester City.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 14 caps for United States.

Cameron Carter-Vickers' time at Leicester City looks to be drawing to a close. The former Sheffield United defender broke his foot against Sheffield Wednesday in mid-October and was ruled out for four months. Carter-Vickers had been one of the first names on Leicester boss Steven Caulker's teamsheet before then, but the foot injury changed all that. Since returning, Cameron has not played a single game under new manager Andy Awford, who took over from the axed Caulker in January. His £33,500-per-week contract at the King Power Stadium expires shortly, and if he wants to continue playing with a new club, he may have to take a substantial pay cut.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Leicester City - APPS: 13, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 1, YC: 2, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.70.

Career Statistics: APPS: 396, GOALS: 5, ASSISTS: 16, YC: 82, RC: 4.

[CFuller]

Premier League

Top Four: Manchester City (1st), Tottenham Hotspur (2nd), Crystal Palace (3rd), Arsenal (4th).

Relegated: Hull City (18th), Sheffield United (19th), Sunderland (20th).

Championship

Promoted: Derby County (1st), West Ham United (2nd), Sheffield Wednesday (6th).

Also in Play-Offs: Aston Villa (3rd), Peterborough United (4th), Blackburn Rovers (5th).

Relegated: Ipswich Town (22nd), Charlton Athletic (23rd), Northampton Town (24th).

League One

Promoted: Oldham Athletic (1st), Notts County (2nd), Portsmouth (6th).

Also in Play-Offs: Norwich City (3rd), Gillingham (4th), Rochdale (5th).

Relegated: Bradford City (21st), Barnet (22nd), Crawley Town (23rd), Leyton Orient (24th).

League Two

Promoted: Crewe Alexandra (1st), Chesterfield (2nd), Cambridge United (3rd), Walsall (7th).

Also in Play-Offs: Barnsley (4th), Mansfield Town (5th), Coventry City (6th).

Relegated: Harrogate Town (23rd), Gateshead (24th).

Conference Premier

Promoted: Yeovil Town (1st), Hartlepool United (2nd).

Also in Play-Offs: Macclesfield Town (3rd), Scunthorpe United (4th), Alfreton Town (5th).

Relegated: Southport (21st), Barwell (22nd), Maidstone United (23rd), York City (24th).

Conference North

Promoted: King's Lynn Town (1st), Guiseley (2nd).

Also in Play-Offs: Buxton (3rd), Hyde (4th), FC United of Manchester (5th).

Relegated: Stockport County (20th), Brackley Town (21st), Stalybridge Celtic (22nd).

Conference South

Promoted: Grays Athletic (1st), Ebbsfleet United (2nd).

Also in Play-Offs: St Albans City (3rd), Bishop's Stortford (4th), Bromley (5th).

Relegated: Bognor Regis Town (20th), Canvey Island (21st), Hampton & Richmond Borough (22nd).

Promoted to Conference North/South: Altrincham, Chelmsford City, Enfield Town, Ilkeston, Redditch United, Worcester City.

Cup Winners

FA Cup: West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Fulham.

League Cup: Manchester City 4-0 Hull City.

Community Shield: Manchester United 3-1 Manchester City.

Football League Trophy: Portsmouth 3-2 Barnsley (aet).

UEFA Champions League: Manchester City 3-0 Barcelona.

UEFA Europa League: Monaco 2-1 Bayern Munich.

UEFA Super Cup: Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Bayer Leverkusen.

Club World Championship: Paris Saint-Germain 4-0 Flamengo.

Major European Leagues

Dutch Eredivisie: Ajax (1st), Feyenoord (2nd), FC Groningen (3rd).

French Ligue 1: Paris Saint-Germain (1st), Monaco (2nd), Lyon (3rd).

German Bundesliga: Wolfsburg (1st), Bayer Leverkusen (2nd), Borussia Dortmund (3rd).

Italian Serie A: Napoli (1st), Juventus (2nd), Cesena (3rd).

Portuguese Primeira Liga: Benfica (1st), Sporting CP (2nd), Braga (3rd).

Russian Premier League: Zenit St Petersburg (1st), FC Krasnodar (2nd), Krylja Sovetov Samara (3rd).

Scottish Premiership: Rangers (1st), Motherwell (2nd), Hibernian (3rd).

Spanish La Liga: Rayo Vallecano (1st), Barcelona (2nd), Real Madrid (3rd).

[mark wilson27]

That's two season's without a serious injury, around ten years too late

Really enjoying this story mate, just a quick question will you be following them if they go into management?

[CFuller]

That's two season's without a serious injury, around ten years too late

Really enjoying this story mate, just a quick question will you be following them if they go into management?

I will be tracking all of the players up until the last one retires from playing. At that point, I will summarise the careers of all 20 players, and I'll also go into what they did after retiring. I can tell you already that some of them did indeed go into management.

If there's any more information you'd like to see, please let me know soon, as I'm aiming to have this story wrapped up by the end of the year.

[neilhoskins77]

Chris, this is superb stuff, and I'm really enjoying it. I was going to ask exactly what Mark has just asked, and it'll be good to see who goes into management, and how successful they are compared to their playing careers.

In recent updates, I've found myself willing on the 'underdogs' like Matt Hinchliffe and Harley Willard.

[leonavich]

Really enjoying it as the careers start to close out and we see who decides to stay on, who can't cut it any more and who moves to continue to get game time.

I would be interested to see this same type of experiment with another set of youngsters, perhaps the Italian or Spanish next generation? Or even another set of English lads, to see if they can do better or worse than the current crop?

Very well kept and presented too. I always look forward to these updates

[CFuller]

Okay, guys - just a heads-up. I've had no end of trouble with Photobucket over the last few days, and as a result, I've been struggling to upload the screenshots for Seasons 18 and 19. If these problems persist tomorrow morning, I may have to temporarily upload the screenshots to my Flickr account (which is more personal than my PB account), or even forego them until the issues are resolved. If you have any advice on what I should do, feel free to PM me or leave a comment.

Chris, this is superb stuff, and I'm really enjoying it. I was going to ask exactly what Mark has just asked, and it'll be good to see who goes into management, and how successful they are compared to their playing careers.

In recent updates, I've found myself willing on the 'underdogs' like Matt Hinchliffe and Harley Willard.

We British love an underdog, don't we? I'm very surprised that Willard is still going, to be honest, considering that he's struggled with injuries and trying to find a club that'll get him the first-team football he wants. As an Arsenal fan, I've personally been willing Willock to carry on, even though he hasn't got anywhere near where I thought he'd be.

Here's what I'm going to do in terms of wrapping up the story. I'm going to simulate for one more season after everyone has retired from playing. That'll take them all up to 40 years of age (so you can now work out that the last one retires from playing when they're 39), and then I'll look at what they're doing now. I have no plans to go any further into the save - I'm not Michael Apted, for goodness sake!

Really enjoying it as the careers start to close out and we see who decides to stay on, who can't cut it any more and who moves to continue to get game time.

I would be interested to see this same type of experiment with another set of youngsters, perhaps the Italian or Spanish next generation? Or even another set of English lads, to see if they can do better or worse than the current crop?

Very well kept and presented too. I always look forward to these updates

To be honest, I wouldn't mind doing a similar experiment in a future FM (not FM16). I'm just thinking out loud here, but when FM17 comes out and we get the first real players born in 2000, I could do something along those lines. Maybe I could pick four players each from the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and the Bundesliga, and see if they become world-class superstars... or Marcus Rashford.

[displaced_seagull]

I always use imgur for screenshot uploads.

[CFuller]

I always use imgur for screenshot uploads.

Thanks for the tip. I may use Imgur in the future, but I've managed to get the screenshots uploaded to Photobucket. The next update will follow shortly.

[CFuller]

All of our players are now 34 years of age.

A lot of professional footballers tend to retire from competition in their mid-30s. Considering that our original group of 20 have now reached that point, it's not surprising that fewer than half will still be active next season.

A quarter of the 12 'Next Generation' players who began this campaign have decided to call it quits here. In the Midlands, we saw the versatile Hamza Choudhury and the injury-plagued Marcus Rashford bow out on the back of disappointing seasons.

Making a more graceful exit in the north-west was Blackburn Rovers ace Kieran Dowell. Many were surprised that a midfielder who was still playing consistently well had suddenly decided to stop, but Dowell perhaps deserves some respect for quitting while still ahead.

Oliver Shenton is still playing on, though, and he looks set to beat Choudhury's project record of 640 senior appearances. Our leading goalscorer Dominic Solanke is also determined to add to his tally of 141 strikes, most of which have been scored in the Championship.

Meanwhile, time could soon run out on Matt Hinchliffe's playing days. The defender is currently considering his options, having been unattached since Ilkeston parted ways with him in February. Will he be the next to fall?

CHRIS WILLOCK (AM L)

CURRENT CLUB: Weston-super-Mare.

Chris Willock only played in 28 Southern League games this season for Weston-super-Mare after his old injury woes struck again. Willock sprained his ankle in training just after Christmas and missed the next six weeks as a result. In spite of that, he was still able to finish his fourth campaign at Weston with 12 assists. Chris remains determined to play on as long as he can, even though time is fast catching up with the midfielder.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Weston-super-Mare - APPS: 34, GOALS: 3, ASSISTS: 12, YC: 7, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.71.

Career Statistics: APPS: 315, GOALS: 23, ASSISTS: 67, YC: 70, RC: 4.

DOMINIC SOLANKE (AM R, F C)

CURRENT CLUB: Wolverhampton Wanderers.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 5 caps for Nigeria.

When Dominic Solanke signed for Wolverhampton Wanderers, he seemed to leave his scoring touch at Ipswich Town. Playing mostly on the right side of midfield, Solanke found the net just three times in his first season at Molyneux. He registered the same number of assists, and as a midfielder, his inability to create goals is more worrying than his failure to score them regularly. Dominic has one more chance to shine at Wolves, who finished just above the Championship relegation places.

Milestones: 01/07/31 - Moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers on free transfer. 09/08/31 - Debut for Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Huddersfield Town.

Season Statistics: Wolverhampton Wanderers - APPS: 34, GOALS: 3, ASSISTS: 3, YC: 3, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.52.

Career Statistics: APPS: 566, GOALS: 141, ASSISTS: 17, YC: 20, RC: 3.

KIERAN DOWELL (M R, AM C)

[RETIRED] PREVIOUS CLUBS: Blackburn Rovers.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 3 caps for England Under-19s.

Kieran Dowell was one of the fittest players outside of the Premier League, and his keen eye for a pass made him a shining star in the Championship. He finished the season just gone with 15 assists for Blackburn Rovers - a rate of nearly one in every three games. Why, then, has Dowell decided to retire at the age of 34? Well, the Lancastrian has publicly stated that he always wanted to bow out while still playing at a high level, and that he didn't want to keep on going in the lower leagues. That disappointed some Rovers fans who reckoned Kieran could carry on towards his 40s. Nevertheless, he retires having enjoyed a career that many of his colleagues would have envied.

Milestones: 23/06/32 - Retired from football.

Season Statistics: Blackburn Rovers - APPS: 47, GOALS: 3, ASSISTS: 15, YC: 2, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.92.

Career Statistics: APPS: 537, GOALS: 49, ASSISTS: 124, YC: 19, RC: 2.

MATT HINCHLIFFE (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: unattached. PREVIOUS CLUBS: Ilkeston.

Matt Hinchliffe followed Ilkeston into the Conference North, but not for very long. The wily old centre-back's lack of pace left him completely exposed at that level, and after just 16 appearances, Hinchliffe left the Robins in late February. The end of his six-year association with Ilkeston has prompted Matt to take a break from playing. He is now understood to be seriously thinking about retirement.

Milestones: 29/02/32 - Released by Ilkeston.

Season Statistics: Ilkeston - APPS: 16, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.28.

Career Statistics: APPS: 321, GOALS: 35, ASSISTS: 10, YC: 28, RC: 2.

HAMZA CHOUDHURY (D L, DM C)

[RETIRED] PREVIOUS CLUBS: Wolverhampton Wanderers.

For a player of Hamza Choudhury's quality, it's a shame that his career has ended like this. Choudhury fractured his ribs just days into the new season, and when he returned, he was a shadow of his former self. The East Midlander's consistency disappeared as three different Wolves managers couldn't decide whether he should play at left-back, left-wing or central midfield. With his form dropping like a stone, Hamza decided that enough was enough, and announced his retirement as soon as Wolves secured their Championship status.

Milestones: 30/06/32 - Retired from football.

Season Statistics: Wolverhampton Wanderers - APPS: 30, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 3, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.49.

Career Statistics: APPS: 640, GOALS: 11, ASSISTS: 90, YC: 63, RC: 4.

ADAM PHILLIPS (AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Norwich City.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 2 caps for England Under-19s.

Adam Phillips reluctantly stayed at Norwich City for an eighth successive season, but he wishes now that he hadn't. The midfielder's own form didn't decline dramatically, as Phillips registered a healthy 12 assists in League One. The problem was with Norwich, whose shocking decline continued with relegation to League Two for the first time in their history. Adam has no intention of dropping down another level with the Canaries, so he's now looking for his next career move. Whether that move sees him extend his playing career is a matter of speculation.

Milestones: 01/05/32 - Relegated from League One.

Season Statistics: Norwich City - APPS: 48, GOALS: 2, ASSISTS: 12, YC: 8, RC: 1, AV RAT: 6.79.

Career Statistics: APPS: 402, GOALS: 25, ASSISTS: 99, YC: 95, RC: 2.

TOSIN ADARABIOYO (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Yeovil Town.

Tosin Adarabioyo stayed with Yeovil Town for a second term following their return to the Football League. The defender didn't see much action, mind. Adarabioyo's game-time this season was restricted to a couple of appearances in November - a substitute cameo in a League Two match against Boreham Wood, and a start in the Glovers' FA Cup win over York City a week later. Needless to say, Tosin will not be given a new contract at Huish Park for next season. Having stated that he doesn't want to play for another club after Yeovil, this could well have been his swansong.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Yeovil Town - APPS: 2, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.60.

Career Statistics: APPS: 353, GOALS: 17, ASSISTS: 20, YC: 26, RC: 1.

MARCUS RASHFORD (AM C)

[RETIRED] PREVIOUS CLUBS: Mansfield Town.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 5 caps for England Under-19s.

Marcus Rashford's influence at Mansfield Town has waned over the course of his three-and-a-half-year spell at Field Mill. Rashford only played in 12 League Two matches for the Stags this season as his game continued to decline. Now a sluggish midfielder who was seemingly unable to play accurate passes to his team-mates, he decided to retire at the age of 34. Marcus is now looking to stay in football by starting a new career as a coach.

Milestones: 20/06/32 - Retired from football.

Season Statistics: Mansfield Town - APPS: 14, GOALS: 2, ASSISTS: 2, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.34.

Career Statistics: APPS: 356, GOALS: 59, ASSISTS: 19, YC: 16, RC: 0.

TOM MATTHEWS (D RC)

CURRENT CLUB: Coventry City.

After spending most of his career in League One, Tom Matthews decided to drop down to League Two with Coventry City. The former Wrexham defender's second stint at the Ricoh Arena was by no means a success. Although Matthews played in nearly two-thirds of City's matches, most of those appearances were as a substitute, and his performances were generally very poor. Tom is likely to find himself back on the free agency list this summer, when he'll have to decide if it's worth continuing his playing career.

Milestones: 30/06/31 - Released by Wrexham. 26/09/31 - Moved to Coventry City on free transfer.

Season Statistics: Coventry City - APPS: 34, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.37.

Career Statistics: APPS: 437, GOALS: 19, ASSISTS: 6, YC: 43, RC: 4.

HARLEY WILLARD (M L, AM RL)

CURRENT CLUB: Fraserburgh.

Harley Willard had another decent season with Highland League side Fraserburgh. Willard was a regular starter for the Broch, providing them with six assists and a couple of goals. He's also adapted his game so that he can play in central midfield once he's no longer fit enough to be a wideman. Harley will stay with Fraserburgh for one more season, and after that, he may look to explore his options in coaching.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Fraserburgh - APPS: 38, GOALS: 2, ASSISTS: 6, YC: 6, RC: 1, AV RAT: 6.70.

Career Statistics: APPS: 190, GOALS: 10, ASSISTS: 27, YC: 34, RC: 6.

OLIVER SHENTON (DM/M C)

CURRENT CLUB: Burton Albion.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 1 cap for England Under-19s.

Oliver Shenton left his role as Coventry City captain to seek a new challenge with Burton Albion. The end result was pretty ugly, as Shenton's game fell to pieces. A midfielder who made 17 assists for Coventry in League Two last season could not even muster a third of that total for Burton, who were relegated to the Conference Premier. It would be a shame if Oliver's Football League career ended this way, but don't bet against him staying there with a new club. He now needs to play in just 13 more competitive games to finish as the top appearance-maker from the 'Next Generation'.

Milestones: 01/07/31 - Released by Coventry City. 07/08/31 - Moved to Burton Albion on free transfer. 09/08/31 - Debut for Burton Albion vs Morecambe. 01/05/32 - Relegated from League Two.

Season Statistics: Burton Albion - APPS: 46, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 5, YC: 1, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.57.

Career Statistics: APPS: 628, GOALS: 16, ASSISTS: 105, YC: 25, RC: 1.

CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Sheffield Wednesday.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 14 caps for United States.

Cameron Carter-Vickers' next career move after Leicester City was not the best decision he has ever made. The centre-back took a massive weekly wage cut from £33,500 to £6,000 after signing for Premier League new boys Sheffield Wednesday. Owls fans were sceptical about Carter-Vickers because of his links to Sheffield United, and his displays did not exactly win them over. Admittedly, he didn't have many opportunities to impress, with his top-flight comeback lasting for just three games. Cameron has now asked for a transfer to a club where he can finish his career with at least some dignity still intact.

Milestones: 30/06/31 - Released by Leicester City. 06/07/31 - Moved to Sheffield Wednesday on free transfer. 16/08/31 - Debut for Sheffield Wednesday vs Queens Park Rangers.

Season Statistics: Sheffield Wednesday - APPS: 3, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.00.

Career Statistics: APPS: 399, GOALS: 5, ASSISTS: 16, YC: 82, RC: 4.

[CFuller]

Premier League

Top Four: Manchester City (1st), Manchester United (2nd), Arsenal (3rd), Southampton (4th).

Relegated: Derby County (18th), Everton (19th), Sheffield Wednesday (20th).

Championship

Promoted: Sunderland (1st), Sheffield United (2nd), Hull City (4th).

Also in Play-Offs: Leicester City (3rd), Leeds United (5th), Southend United (6th).

Relegated: Birmingham City (22nd), Portsmouth (23rd), Notts County (24th).

League One

Promoted: Charlton Athletic (1st), Ipswich Town (2nd), Burnley (3rd).

Also in Play-Offs: Crewe Alexandra (4th), Accrington Stanley (5th), Fleetwood Town (6th).

Relegated: Tranmere Rovers (21st), Norwich City (22nd), Wrexham (23rd), Walsall (24th).

League Two

Promoted: Swindon Town (1st), Colchester United (2nd), Hartlepool United (3rd), Bristol City (6th).

Also in Play-Offs: Morecambe (4th), Hayes & Yeading United (5th), AFC Wimbledon (7th).

Relegated: Burton Albion (23rd), Carlisle United (24th).

Conference Premier

Promoted: Harrogate Town (1st), Macclesfield Town (5th).

Also in Play-Offs: Lincoln City (2nd), Gateshead (3rd), Oxford City (4th).

Relegated: Torquay United (21st), Guiseley (22nd), Ebbsfleet United (23rd), Grays Athletic (24th).

Conference North

Promoted: Hyde (1st), Altrincham (5th).

Also in Play-Offs: Tamworth (2nd), Buxton (3rd), Barwell (4th).

Relegated: Southport (20th), AFC Fylde (21st), FC United of Manchester (22nd).

Conference South

Promoted: Welling United (1st), Bromley (4th).

Also in Play-Offs: Gloucester City (2nd), Dorchester Town (3rd), Slough Town (5th).

Relegated: Sutton United (20th), Margate (21st), Enfield Town (22nd).

Promoted to Conference North/South: Brackley Town, Concord Rangers, Kidderminster Harriers, Lowestoft Town, Stockport County, Stalybridge Celtic.

Cup Winners

FA Cup: Manchester City 4-1 Arsenal.

League Cup: Queens Park Rangers 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur.

Community Shield: Manchester City 4-0 West Bromwich Albion.

Football League Trophy: Carlisle United 2-0 Milton Keynes Dons.

UEFA Champions League: Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Wolfsburg (aet).

UEFA Europa League: Manchester United 4-0 Lyon.

UEFA Super Cup: Monaco 1-1 Manchester City (4-1 penalties).

Club World Championship: Manchester City 4-0 Yokohama F Marinos.

Major European Leagues

Dutch Eredivisie: Feyenoord (1st), Heracles Almelo (2nd), Heerenveen (3rd).

French Ligue 1: Paris Saint-Germain (1st), Lyon (2nd), Monaco (3rd).

German Bundesliga: Wolfsburg (1st), 1.FC Koln (2nd), Bayern Munich (3rd).

Italian Serie A: Roma (1st), AC Milan (2nd), Cesena (3rd).

Portuguese Primeira Liga: Sporting CP (1st), Braga (2nd), Benfica (3rd).

Russian Premier League: Krylja Sovetov Samara (1st), FC Krasnodar (2nd), Zenit St Petersburg (3rd).

Scottish Premiership: Rangers (1st), Celtic (2nd), Hibernian (3rd).

Spanish La Liga: Barcelona (1st), Rayo Vallecano (2nd), Real Madrid (3rd).

UEFA Euro 2032

[Groups]

[Knockout Stages]

Final: England 1-1 Czech Republic (4-3 penalties).

[CFuller]

All of our players are now 35 years of age.

Our original crop of 20 fresh-faced players is now down to just seven battle-hardened veterans. Centre-backs Tosin Adarabioyo and Matt Hinchliffe were our most recent retirees, with both quitting the game after making their final appearances last year.

Some players may settle for a few years at the top of their profession and then bail out early, but not Cameron Carter-Vickers. After a lean spell, the former United States international has enjoyed what you could perhaps call a career renaissance with Bradford City in League Two.

Carter-Vickers' decision to drop down the tiers leaves Dominic Solanke as our last man standing in either the Premier League or the Championship. He hasn't had the best of seasons with Wolverhampton Wanderers, mind, so he may have to decide soon whether it's worth playing on at a lower level.

Oliver Shenton has already dropped out of the Football League, though perhaps only temporarily. Getting Carlisle United back into League Two at the first attempt is not a bad achievement for a player in the twilight of his career, and neither is winning that division, as Tom Matthews did at Coventry City. The other three survivors - Adam Phillips, Harley Willard and Chris Willock - will be hoping to enjoy some overdue success as well next year.

CHRIS WILLOCK (AM L)

CURRENT CLUB: Weston-super-Mare.

It's been another solid season in Weston-super-Mare's midfield for Chris Willock. He showed just what a wonderful team player he could be with 14 assists and a handful of goals for the Seagulls, who finally won promotion from the Southern League. Willock's aggressive nature saw him earn a stack of yellow cards, but he is still a popular figure at the Woodspring Stadium. If he avoids any serious injuries, Chris could easily play on for another season or two.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Weston-super-Mare - APPS: 40, GOALS: 4, ASSISTS: 14, YC: 13, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.74.

Career Statistics: APPS: 355, GOALS: 27, ASSISTS: 81, YC: 83, RC: 4.

DOMINIC SOLANKE (AM R, F C)

CURRENT CLUB: Wolverhampton Wanderers.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 5 caps for Nigeria.

Dominic Solanke has had limited opportunities to impress for Wolverhampton Wanderers this season. Two other experienced strikers - Ashley Tierney and Ade Victory - kept Solanke out of the team by bagging 35 goals between them this term. Solanke was only able to find the net five times, which isn't actually that bad considering he played in just 16 matches for Wolves. It's unlikely that Dominic will stay at Molineux for another year, but what will he do next? After a decade of consistently playing in the Championship, will he be willing to drop down a level to get more action?

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Wolverhampton Wanderers - APPS: 16, GOALS: 5, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.63.

Career Statistics: APPS: 582, GOALS: 146, ASSISTS: 17, YC: 20, RC: 3.

MATT HINCHLIFFE (D C)

[RETIRED]

Matt Hinchliffe has been out of football completely for the last season. The former Ilkeston defender has been concentrating on his full-time job and raising his family since leaving the Robins last year. Hinchliffe confirmed in October that he had finished playing and would consider finding another job in football once time allowed him to. Of course, we wish Matt well for the future.

Milestones: 27/10/32 - Retired from football.

Career Statistics: APPS: 321, GOALS: 35, ASSISTS: 10, YC: 28, RC: 2.

ADAM PHILLIPS (AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Plymouth Argyle.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 2 caps for England Under-19s.

After eight years at Norwich City, Adam Phillips moved on to Plymouth Argyle, where his eye for a pass would've been a real asset. Alas, not for the first time in his career, Phillips was dogged by injuries. He strained his ankle ligaments at Colchester United in September, and then broke his jaw in training three months later. Those injuries badly affected Adam's game, as he finished the season with just one assist and four goals in League One. The journeyman midfielder may have to move again if he's to finish his career on a brighter note.

Milestones: 30/06/32 - Released by Norwich City. 03/07/32 - Moved to Plymouth Argyle on free transfer. 07/08/32 - Debut for Plymouth Argyle vs Notts County.

Season Statistics: Plymouth Argyle - APPS: 19, GOALS: 4, ASSISTS: 2, YC: 3, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.87.

Career Statistics: APPS: 421, GOALS: 29, ASSISTS: 101, YC: 98, RC: 2.

TOSIN ADARABIOYO (D C)

[RETIRED]

Tosin Adarabioyo left Yeovil Town last summer after two years with the Glovers. Adarabioyo has since weighed up his options and decided to call time on his playing career. The last few years have been difficult on a personal level for Tosin, and the former centre-back will take time away from football before he considers coming back in a coaching capacity. With his tactical knowledge and determination to succeed, we are confident he'll become a great coach.

Milestones: 30/06/32 - Released by Yeovil Town. 11/01/33 - Retired from football.

Career Statistics: APPS: 353, GOALS: 17, ASSISTS: 20, YC: 26, RC: 1.

TOM MATTHEWS (D RC)

CURRENT CLUB: Coventry City.

Tom Matthews completed the second full season of his second stint at Coventry City with some silverware. After struggling in League Two for the previous three seasons, City bounced back by winning the title in emphatic fashion. Matthews played a small part in that, featuring in half of the Sky Blues' league games, although just 11 of them were as a starter. The right-back is now looking to leave the Ricoh Arena for good, with a summer move to another League Two team looking most likely.

Milestones: 12/04/33 - Promoted from League Two. 18/04/33 - Won League Two.

Season Statistics: Coventry City - APPS: 27, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 1, YC: 4, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.42.

Career Statistics: APPS: 464, GOALS: 20, ASSISTS: 7, YC: 47, RC: 4.

HARLEY WILLARD (M L, AM RL)

CURRENT CLUB: Fraserburgh.

Harley Willard has had a strange career so far, because he seems to be playing more regularly as he gets older! Admittedly, playing in the Highland League for Fraserburgh is not very physically-demanding for a 35-year-old, but Willard deserves plenty of credit for his longevity. Harley made 10 assists in 33 league matches for Fraserburgh this season and is already looking forward to the new campaign. We suspect that the 2033/2034 season might be his last.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Fraserburgh - APPS: 42, GOALS: 3, ASSISTS: 13, YC: 8, RC: 2, AV RAT: 6.66.

Career Statistics: APPS: 232, GOALS: 13, ASSISTS: 40, YC: 42, RC: 8.

OLIVER SHENTON (DM/M C)

CURRENT CLUB: Carlisle United.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 1 cap for England Under-19s.

Oliver Shenton put his 18-year Football League career on hold when he left Burton Albion and signed for Carlisle United, who'd just been relegated to the Conference Premier. The Cumbrians' exile from League Two did not last very long, as Shenton's midfield creativity helped them to reach the Play-Off Final... against Burton. However, Oliver did not play in the Final, which Carlisle won 1-0 to secure promotion, and was said to be annoyed at being dropped. Could he be set for another change of scenery?

Milestones: 01/07/32 - Released by Burton Albion. 25/08/32 - Moved to Carlisle United on free transfer. 28/08/32 - Debut for Carlisle United vs Altrincham. 15/05/33 - Promoted from Conference Premier.

Season Statistics: Carlisle United - APPS: 39, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 10, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.77.

Career Statistics: APPS: 667, GOALS: 17, ASSISTS: 115, YC: 25, RC: 1.

CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Bradford City. PREVIOUS CLUBS: Sheffield Wednesday.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 14 caps for United States.

Cameron Carter-Vickers' short and unhappy spell at Sheffield Wednesday ended in August, when he made a deadline-day move to League Two team Bradford City. Carter-Vickers had never played so low down the pyramid in his career, but he sensed that there was ambition at Valley Parade. That ambition was not misguided, as Bradford went on to win promotion by finishing 2nd. Cameron's performances at the back were solid, even if City did concede more goals than relegated Yeovil Town, and he's already eyeing up another promotion with the Bantams.

Milestones: 31/08/32 - Moved to Bradford City for £17,250. 04/09/32 - Debut for Bradford City vs Coventry City. 30/04/33 - Promoted from League Two.

Season Statistics: Bradford City - APPS: 36, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 2, YC: 8, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.79.

Career Statistics: APPS: 435, GOALS: 5, ASSISTS: 18, YC: 90, RC: 4.

[CFuller]

Premier League

Top Four: Arsenal (1st), Manchester City (2nd), Manchester United (3rd), Chelsea (4th).

Relegated: West Ham United (18th), Sheffield United (19th), Crystal Palace (20th).

Championship

Promoted: Everton (1st), Sheffield Wednesday (2nd), Aston Villa (6th).

Also in Play-Offs: Southend United (3rd), Peterborough United (4th), Derby County (5th).

Relegated: AFC Bournemouth (22nd), Leicester City (23rd), Oldham Athletic (24th).

League One

Promoted: Birmingham City (1st), Crewe Alexandra (2nd), Milton Keynes Dons (5th).

Also in Play-Offs: Shrewsbury Town (4th), Colchester United (5th), Exeter City (6th).

Relegated: Aldershot Town (21st), Fleetwood Town (22nd), Northampton Town (23rd), Cambridge United (24th).

League Two

Promoted: Coventry City (1st), Bradford City (2nd), Wycombe Wanderers (3rd), Stevenage (5th).

Also in Play-Offs: Chester (4th), Hayes & Yeading United (6th), Newport County (7th).

Relegated: Crawley Town (23rd), Yeovil Town (24th).

Conference Premier

Promoted: Lincoln City (1st), Carlisle United (3rd).

Also in Play-Offs: Bristol Rovers (2nd), Gateshead (4th), Burton Albion (5th).

Relegated: Boston United (21st), FC Halifax Town (22nd), Braintree Town (23rd), Bromley (24th).

Conference North

Promoted: Solihull Moors (1st), Ashton United (3rd).

Also in Play-Offs: Buxton (2nd), North Ferriby United (4th), Worcester City (5th).

Relegated: Stalybridge Celtic (20th), York City (21st), Lowestoft Town (22nd).

Conference South

Promoted: Gloucester City (1st), Torquay United (2nd).

Also in Play-Offs: Grays Athletic (3rd), Leamington (4th), Bishop's Stortford (5th).

Relegated: Havant & Waterlooville (20th), Eastbourne Borough (21st), Concord Rangers (22nd).

Promoted to Conference North/South: FC United of Manchester, Margate, Metropolitan Police, Southport, Sutton United, Weston-super-Mare.

Cup Winners

FA Cup: Manchester City 3-0 Liverpool.

League Cup: Manchester United 5-3 Reading.

Community Shield: Manchester City 2-1 Manchester United.

Football League Trophy: Birmingham City 3-0 Exeter City.

UEFA Champions League: Manchester City 4-0 Roma.

UEFA Europa League: Palermo 2-0 Bayer Leverkusen.

UEFA Super Cup: Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Manchester United.

Club World Championship: Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 Boca Juniors.

Major European Leagues

Dutch Eredivisie: Heerenveen (1st), Feyenoord (2nd), Ajax (3rd).

French Ligue 1: Monaco (1st), Paris Saint-Germain (2nd), Lens (3rd).

German Bundesliga: Bayern Munich (1st), Bayer Leverkusen (2nd), Borussia Dortmund (3rd).

Italian Serie A: Napoli (1st), Cesena (2nd), Inter Milan (3rd).

Portuguese Primeira Liga: Benfica (1st), Braga (2nd), Sporting CP (3rd).

Russian Premier League: Rubin Kazan (1st), Krylja Sovetov Samara (2nd), FC Krasnodar (3rd).

Scottish Premiership: Celtic (1st), Aberdeen (2nd), Hibernian (3rd).

Spanish La Liga: Barcelona (1st), Rayo Vallecano (2nd), Villarreal (3rd).

[mark wilson27]

A career wasted by injuries and divarish behaviours. Probably could have added another two to three hundred games to his tally..

I must say CFuller that this is a damn good story and its been good to see how some of the players have developed or not.

[leonavich]

Very well done. C.C-V may of been a in a side promoted, but it does say a lot for a team to get promoted and concede more than Yeovil Town whom got relegated.

I sense he may struggle, if he is given game time that is, next season. But you must give credit for his longevity.

I noted that a few players had considered going into coaching - has any of that materialized?

Very great read thus far.

[CFuller]

A career wasted by injuries and divarish behaviours. Probably could have added another two to three hundred games to his tally..

I must say CFuller that this is a damn good story and its been good to see how some of the players have developed or not.

Totally agree on Rashford - he was a bit of a diva, and so too was Solanke to a lesser extent. At least Carter-Vickers has fulfilled his potential somewhat. Speaking of him...

Very well done. C.C-V may of been a in a side promoted, but it does say a lot for a team to get promoted and concede more than Yeovil Town whom got relegated.

I sense he may struggle, if he is given game time that is, next season. But you must give credit for his longevity.

I noted that a few players had considered going into coaching - has any of that materialized?

Very great read thus far.

As a centre-back, CCV could play on well into his late 30s if he wanted. But what was that you said about him struggling next season? You may well be right...

Some of our retired players have indeed gone into coaching, or at least will do in the future... but I won't say exactly what's happened until I come to the end-of-story summaries.

[CFuller]

All of our players are now 36 years of age.

It's been two decades since we referred to 20 emerging Premier League talents as the 'Next Generation'. A newer generation of players has completely taken over the footballing landscape now, but our surviving veterans have been looking to prove that they can still play a bit - and maybe even teach the kids a thing or two.

Although the Premier League and Championship are now entirely devoid of our players, Cameron Carter-Vickers has been playing in League One for Bradford City. However, a disappointing season from the centre-back has led him to question whether he's still got the legs for professional football.

Dominic Solanke has decided that he hasn't, and he retired after a lacklustre campaign with Northampton Town in League Two. He joins Tom Matthews in riding off into the sunset.

If Carter-Vickers does quit, Adam Phillips will almost certainly be our last remaining League player. Oliver Shenton, Harley Willard and Chris Willock are still going at semi-professional level, and with their love of the sport obvious to see, they might not be hanging up their boots just yet.

CHRIS WILLOCK (AM L)

CURRENT CLUB: Weston-super-Mare.

After seven seasons in the lower leagues, midfielder Chris Willock returned to the Conference South with his Weston-super-Mare team. Sadly, things did not go all that well for Willock or Weston. The Seagulls were relegated straight back to the Southern League after finishing 20th. Chris was very ineffective this term, but he has been given a new part-time contract for next season, which could be his last at the Woodspring Stadium.

Milestones: 06/05/34 - Relegated from Conference South.

Season Statistics: Weston-super-Mare - APPS: 31, GOALS: 3, ASSISTS: 4, YC: 10, RC: 1, AV RAT: 6.48.

Career Statistics: APPS: 386, GOALS: 30, ASSISTS: 85, YC: 93, RC: 5.

DOMINIC SOLANKE (AM R, F C)

[RETIRED] PREVIOUS CLUBS: Northampton Town.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 5 caps for Nigeria.

After being released by Wolverhampton Wanderers, Dominic Solanke dropped all the way down to League Two to sign for Northampton Town. The forward didn't see a great deal of action, making just six starts for the Cobblers. Solanke did, though, score four goals, which took his career total to a nice round 150. With that milestone reached, and time catching up with him, Dominic announced that he was going to call it a day. After an up-and-down playing career that lasted 20 years, he will now look for work in another field.

Milestones: 30/06/33 - Released by Wolverhampton Wanderers. 31/08/33 - Moved to Northampton Town on free transfer. 13/09/33 - Debut for Northampton Town vs Hayes & Yeading United. 30/06/34 - Retired from football.

Season Statistics: Northampton Town - APPS: 16, GOALS: 4, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.80.

Career Statistics: APPS: 598, GOALS: 150, ASSISTS: 17, YC: 20, RC: 3.

ADAM PHILLIPS (AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Lincoln City.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 2 caps for England Under-19s.

Not since he was a teenager had Adam Phillips played as low as League Two. Now on the wrong side of 35, Adam Phillips sought a new challenge with Lincoln City, who were playing in the Football League for the first time in over two decades. Midfielder Phillips scored on his debut and was a regular starter for the Imps, who went on to finish safely in 14th, but his own performances were generally disappointing. On the bright side, Adam's six assists were enough to earn the veteran a second season with Lincoln.

Milestones: 01/07/33 - Released by Plymouth Argyle. 31/08/33 - Moved to Lincoln City on free transfer. 03/09/33 - Debut for Lincoln City vs Wrexham.

Season Statistics: Lincoln City - APPS: 32, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 6, YC: 4, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.67.

Career Statistics: APPS: 453, GOALS: 30, ASSISTS: 107, YC: 102, RC: 2.

TOM MATTHEWS (D RC)

[RETIRED]

Tom Matthews has called time on a solid but unspectacular Football League career. Matthews failed to find a new club following his second exit from Coventry City, and five months after being released, he gave up his job search. Tom has since taken some time out of the game while he studies for his coaching badges. The former defender intends to go into management in the near future.

Milestones: 30/06/33 - Released by Coventry City. 02/12/33 - Retired from football.

Career Statistics: APPS: 464, GOALS: 20, ASSISTS: 7, YC: 47, RC: 4.

HARLEY WILLARD (M L, AM RL)

CURRENT CLUB: Fraserburgh.

Harley Willard has spent a fourth season with Fraserburgh in the Highland League. Willard's latest campaign at Bellslea Park saw him produce just two goals and two assists, but his general performances were more consistent. These days, the former winger plays more regularly in central midfield, where he doesn't have to work as hard for the team. If he stays fit, Harley could - incredibly - play on for Fraserburgh until he's close to 40.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Fraserburgh - APPS: 27, GOALS: 2, ASSISTS: 2, YC: 7, RC: 1, AV RAT: 6.87.

Career Statistics: APPS: 259, GOALS: 15, ASSISTS: 42, YC: 49, RC: 9.

OLIVER SHENTON (DM/M C)

CURRENT CLUB: Chelmsford City.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 1 cap for England Under-19s.

Not many ageing footballers move all the way from Cumbria to Essex when they're close to hanging up their boots. Four months after leaving Carlisle United, Oliver Shenton accepted an offer to continue playing with Chelmsford City. The move did not suit Shenton at all, as he never settled at what was just the second southern club of his career. Though Chelmsford finished 12th in the Conference South, Oliver was woeful, and looked more like a Sunday League player than a former pro. Don't expect him to stick around at Chelmsford.

Milestones: 30/06/33 - Released by Carlisle United. 22/11/33 - Moved to Chelmsford City on free transfer. 26/11/33 - Debut for Chelmsford City vs Great Wakering Rovers.

Season Statistics: Chelmsford City - APPS: 30, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 2, YC: 2, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.43.

Career Statistics: APPS: 697, GOALS: 17, ASSISTS: 117, YC: 27, RC: 1.

CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS (D C)

CURRENT CLUB: Bradford City.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 14 caps for United States.

Cameron Carter-Vickers had a difficult second season with Bradford City. Following the Bantams' promotion to League One, Carter-Vickers struggled with the step up as the defender's lack of pace was often exploited by opposition strike forces. Although his defensive know-how could not be easily dismissed, Bradford only used the former United States international 29 times this season. Cameron is set to leave Valley Parade at the end of the month, when he will weigh up his options and decide what he does next.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Bradford City - APPS: 29, GOALS: 2, ASSISTS: 0, YC: 5, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.57.

Career Statistics: APPS: 464, GOALS: 7, ASSISTS: 18, YC: 95, RC: 4.

[CFuller]

Premier League

Top Four: Manchester City (1st), Manchester United (2nd), Chelsea (3rd), Southampton (4th).

Relegated: Hull City (18th), Aston Villa (19th), Sunderland (20th).

Championship

Promoted: Crystal Palace (1st), Sheffield United (2nd), Southend United (4th).

Also in Play-Offs: West Ham United (3rd), Nottingham Forest (5th), Ipswich Town (6th).

Relegated: Port Vale (22nd), Milton Keynes Dons (23rd), Birmingham City (24th).

League One

Promoted: AFC Bournemouth (1st), Gillingham (2nd), Swindon Town (3rd).

Also in Play-Offs: Exeter City (4th), Leicester City (5th), Colchester United (6th).

Relegated: Bristol City (21st), Coventry City (22nd), Accrington Stanley (23rd), Hartlepool United (24th).

League Two

Promoted: Leyton Orient (1st), Newport County (2nd), Chester (3rd), Blackpool (7th).

Also in Play-Offs: AFC Wimbledon (4th), Norwich City (5th), Hayes & Yeading United (6th).

Relegated: Aldershot Town (23rd), Carlisle United (4th).

Conference Premier

Promoted: Crawley Town (1st), Torquay United (4th).

Also in Play-Offs: Cheltenham Town (2nd), Gateshead (3rd), Solihull Moors (5th).

Relegated: Welling United (21st), Altrincham (22nd), Cambridge City (23rd), Farnborough (24th).

Conference North

Promoted: Stockport County (1st), Tamworth (2nd).

Also in Play-Offs: North Ferriby United (3rd), Nuneaton Town (4th), Buxton (5th).

Relegated: Grimsby Town (20th), Barwell (21st), Hednesford Town (22nd).

Conference South

Promoted: Bishop's Stortford (1st), Slough Town (4th).

Also in Play-Offs: East Thurrock United (2nd), Eastleigh (3rd), Forest Green Rovers (5th).

Relegated: Weston-super-Mare (20th), Margate (21st), Metropolitan Police (22nd).

Promoted to Conference North/South: Basingstoke Town, Bognor Regis Town, Bury Town, Eastbourne Borough, Stalybridge Celtic, York City.

Cup Winners

FA Cup: Manchester City 4-2 Manchester United.

League Cup: Manchester City 2-0 Everton.

Community Shield: Manchester City 3-2 Arsenal.

Football League Trophy: Shrewsbury Town 1-0 Boreham Wood.

UEFA Champions League: Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Lens.

UEFA Europa League: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 West Bromwich Albion.

UEFA Super Cup: Manchester City 3-3 Palermo (3-2 penalties).

Club World Championship: Manchester City 2-1 Pumas.

Major European Leagues

Dutch Eredivisie: Ajax (1st), Feyenoord (2nd), FC Twente (3rd).

French Ligue 1: Paris Saint-Germain (1st), Lens (2nd), Monaco (3rd).

German Bundesliga: Wolfsburg (1st), 1.FC Koln (2nd), Bayer Leverkusen (3rd).

Italian Serie A: Napoli (1st), AC Milan (2nd), Juventus (3rd).

Portuguese Primeira Liga: Braga (1st), Benfica (2nd), Sporting CP (3rd).

Russian Premier League: FC Krasnodar (1st), Zenit St Petersburg (2nd), Krylja Sovetov Samara (3rd).

Scottish Premiership: Celtic (1st), Rangers (2nd), Aberdeen (3rd).

Spanish La Liga: Barcelona (1st), Rayo Vallecano (2nd), Tenerife (3rd).

2034 FIFA World Cup

[Groups A-D]

[Groups E-H]

[Knockout Stages]

Final: Spain 2-0 Mexico.

[CFuller]

All of our players are now 37 years of age.

We started with 20, and now we're down to the last four. The 'Next Generation' is not a competition to see who's the best footballer, nor is it an endurance challenge, although it will be interesting to see which of our players can continue playing for the longest time.

Cameron Carter-Vickers has dropped out of that particular 'race', if you could call it that. The defender has blown the final whistle on his illustrious career, which saw him become a Premier League regular and earn international recognition with the United States.

His retirement leaves Adam Phillips as the last of our professional players, although he too is contemplating his long-term future. For someone who was particularly suspect to injuries early in his career, Phillips can count his lucky stars that he has at least still been playing as a 37-year-old.

Battle-worn braveheart Harley Willard is incredibly still going for Highland League side Fraserburgh without even thinking about retirement. Chris Willock is also looking forward to another season, but a horrific injury may have signalled the end of Oliver Shenton's career. Let's hope that isn't the case.

CHRIS WILLOCK (AM L)

CURRENT CLUB: Weston-super-Mare.

Chris Willock still enjoys life at Weston-super-Mare, even though he now looks completely inadequate for them. Willock's ability to create goals has pretty much dried up, as he made just three assists in a season that saw the Seagulls win promotion back to the Conference South. For a midfielder, Chris' performances have been very poor, and you have to wonder whether Weston should keep him on for an eighth season. If they don't, now would perhaps be a good time for him to quit.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Weston-super-Mare - APPS: 43, GOALS: 2, ASSISTS: 3, YC: 1, RC: 1, AV RAT: 6.34.

Career Statistics: APPS: 429, GOALS: 32, ASSISTS: 88, YC: 94, RC: 6.

ADAM PHILLIPS (AM C)

CURRENT CLUB: Lincoln City.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 2 caps for England Under-19s.

It's hard to believe that Adam Phillips is the same player who, just a few years ago, was bossing the midfield for Norwich City. Now playing at the wrong end of League Two with Lincoln City, Phillips has had arguably his worst season for over a decade. A total of four assists in 19 matches says it all. The midfielder's ability to pick out a great pass has not waned all that much, but Adam just does not have the stamina to play regular League football anymore. If this is the end of his playing career, though, he can bow out with his head held high.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Lincoln City - APPS: 19, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 4, YC: 6, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.56.

Career Statistics: APPS: 472, GOALS: 30, ASSISTS: 111, YC: 108, RC: 2.

HARLEY WILLARD (M L, AM RL)

CURRENT CLUB: Fraserburgh.

There's not much to say about Harley Willard other than it's great to see him still playing at the age of 37. Willard's fifth campaign with Fraserburgh in the Highland League was another decent one that saw him chip in with a few goals and assists. His decision-making has improved with age, allowing him to stay in the team. And just like a Football Manager addict, he has frequently dismissed talk of retirement, simply saying, "Just one more season..."

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Fraserburgh - APPS: 41, GOALS: 3, ASSISTS: 5, YC: 10, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.66.

Career Statistics: APPS: 300, GOALS: 18, ASSISTS: 47, YC: 59, RC: 9.

OLIVER SHENTON (DM/M C)

CURRENT CLUB: unattached. PREVIOUS CLUBS: Chelmsford City.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 1 cap for England Under-19s.

The first half of this season saw midfielder Oliver Shenton lose his regular place in the Chelmsford City team to Kenny Ingram - a local teenager whom the veteran had been tutoring. Despite that, Shenton carried on playing until the eve of New Year's Eve, when he suffered a horrific leg break against Sutton United. Oliver's season was already over, and his contract with the Conference South club was terminated later on. The Midlander had admitted battling depression in recent months, but he's recovered well enough to clearly consider his options.

Milestones: 03/03/35 - Released by Chelmsford City.

Season Statistics: Chelmsford City - APPS: 19, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 1, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.35.

Career Statistics: APPS: 716, GOALS: 17, ASSISTS: 118, YC: 27, RC: 1.

CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS (D C)

[RETIRED]

Cameron Carter-Vickers, arguably the most successful player from the 'Next Generation' project, has retired. Bradford City chose not to retain Carter-Vickers, and the American international defender subsequently failed to find a new club. After calling off that particular search, Cameron has begun to pursue a career in football management. To that end, he has been working with a number of local youth teams in West Yorkshire.

Milestones: 01/07/34 - Released by Bradford City. 02/12/34 - Retired from football.

Career Statistics: APPS: 464, GOALS: 7, ASSISTS: 18, YC: 95, RC: 4.

[CFuller]

Premier League

Top Four: Chelsea (1st), Manchester City (2nd), Manchester United (3rd), Tottenham Hotspur (4th).

Relegated: Newcastle United (18th), Southend United (19th), Reading (20th).

Championship

Promoted: West Ham United (1st), Sunderland (2nd), Watford (6th).

Also in Play-Offs: Derby County (3rd), Cardiff City (4th), Hull City (5th).

Relegated: Gillingham (22nd), Peterborough United (23rd), Luton Town (24th).

League One

Promoted: Leicester City (1st), Birmingham City (2nd), Leyton Orient (4th).

Also in Play-Offs: Exeter City (3rd), Shrewsbury Town (5th), Stevenage (6th).

Relegated: Preston North End (21st), Notts County (22nd), Millwall (23rd), Portsmouth (24th).

League Two

Promoted: Norwich City (1st), Mansfield Town (2nd), Hartlepool United (3rd), Bristol City (6th).

Also in Play-Offs: Cambridge United (4th), Hayes & Yeading United (5th), Accrington Stanley (7th).

Relegated: Macclesfield Town (23rd), Torquay United (24th).

Conference Premier

Promoted: Gateshead (1st), Dartford (2nd).

Also in Play-Offs: Bolton Wanderers (3rd), Bristol Rovers (4th), Cheltenham Town (5th).

Relegated: Bishop's Stortford (21st), Slough Town (22nd), Oxford City (23rd), Ashton United (24th).

Conference North

Promoted: Buxton (1st), FC Halifax Town (2nd).

Also in Play-Offs: Nuneaton Town (3rd), Chorley (4th), Doncaster Rovers (5th).

Relegated: Southport (20th), Guiseley (21st), Bury Town (22nd).

Conference South

Promoted: Forest Green Rovers (1st), Wealdstone (4th).

Also in Play-Offs: Chelmsford City (2nd), Bath City (3rd), Maidstone United (5th).

Relegated: Basingstoke Town (20th), Brackley Town (21st), Eastbourne Borough (22nd).

Promoted to Conference North/South: Grimsby Town, Hednesford Town, Margate, Staines Town, Weston-super-Mare, Wingate & Finchley.

Cup Winners

FA Cup: Manchester City 2-0 Sunderland.

League Cup: Queens Park Rangers 3-2 Chelsea.

Community Shield: Manchester City 3-2 Manchester United.

Football League Trophy: Leyton Orient 2-0 Bradford City.

UEFA Champions League: Manchester City 5-0 Rayo Vallecano.

UEFA Europa League: Arsenal 2-0 VfB Stuttgart.

UEFA Super Cup: Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur (aet).

Club World Championship: Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 Flamengo.

Major European Leagues

Dutch Eredivisie: Feyenoord (1st), FC Utrecht (2nd), FC Twente (3rd).

French Ligue 1: Lens (1st), Paris Saint-Germain (2nd), Monaco (3rd).

German Bundesliga: Wolfsburg (1st), Bayern Munich (2nd), Hoffenheim (3rd).

Italian Serie A: AC Milan (1st), Cesena (2nd), Inter Milan (3rd).

Portuguese Primeira Liga: Braga (1st), Benfica (2nd), Porto (3rd).

Russian Premier League: FC Krasnodar (1st), Krylja Sovetov Samara (2nd), SKA-Energia Khabarovsk (3rd).

Scottish Premiership: Celtic (1st), Motherwell (2nd), Aberdeen (3rd).

Spanish La Liga: Barcelona (1st), Real Madrid (2nd), Atlético Madrid (3rd).

[mark wilson27]

Buxton promoted, that's it I'm not reading this no more

[JayR2003]

Damnit, Newcastle. Just when I thought it was safe to look at the year end recaps and think that you wouldn't see the Toon relegated...

[Northwood_dk]

This has been a fantastic read with some great stories along the way.

Thanks a lot for sharing.

[CFuller]

Buxton promoted, that's it I'm not reading this no more

To be fair, that had been coming for some time. Buxton had failed in the Conference North play-offs for SEVEN seasons in a row before finally going up automatically.

Damnit, Newcastle. Just when I thought it was safe to look at the year end recaps and think that you wouldn't see the Toon relegated...

Newcastle have actually been relegated from the PL before, in 2022 (they returned in 2025). In fact, if I remember correctly, only seven teams (the 'Big Six' plus Southampton) have played in the PL continuously during this save.

This has been a fantastic read with some great stories along the way.

Thanks a lot for sharing.

And thanks a lot for reading. The end's not too far now...

[CFuller]

All of our players are now 38 years of age.

And then there were only two! 18 of the footballers that we started tracking as first-year professionals way back in 2014 have quit the game, leaving just Oliver Shenton and Harley Willard standing.

For a weary midfielder in his late-30s, Shenton's recovery from a broken leg has been almost miraculous. Many old pros might have just finished there and then, but he has persevered and found a new club on the south coast.

Willard, meanwhile, is still at Fraserburgh - the Scottish Highland League club who took him on six years ago. He has not been playing too badly, either, for someone who has overcome so much adversity in his 38 years.

As for Adam Phillips and Chris Willock, they've finished playing and will soon be eyeing up coaching roles. With Willock's array of non-league experience, and Phillips' excellent reading of the game from his midfield days, they may not have to wait long for their first job offers.

CHRIS WILLOCK (AM L)

[RETIRED] PREVIOUS CLUBS: Weston-super-Mare.

Chris Willock has decided to call it a career after his eighth season at Weston-super-Mare. Willock finished off with three goals and four assists in the Conference South as the Seagulls survived by the skin of their teeth. Once Weston's survival was confirmed, Chris announced his retirement from playing. He now wants to explore his options as a coach, but he remains open to staying at the Woodspring Stadium in some capacity next season.

Milestones: 30/06/36 - Retired from football.

Season Statistics: Weston-super-Mare - APPS: 30, GOALS: 3, ASSISTS: 5, YC: 6, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.62.

Career Statistics: APPS: 459, GOALS: 35, ASSISTS: 93, YC: 100, RC: 6.

ADAM PHILLIPS (AM C)

[RETIRED]

The last of our full-time professionals has gone. After exiting Lincoln City, Adam Phillips had no intention of dropping down into non-league football, so the midfielder called a halt to his 21-year playing career. Over the course of this last year, Phillips has been studying for his coaching badges. Adam now holds an FA B Licence and hopes to get a job in the not-too-distant future.

Milestones: 30/06/35 - Released by Lincoln City. 02/12/35 - Retired from football.

Career Statistics: APPS: 472, GOALS: 30, ASSISTS: 111, YC: 108, RC: 2.

HARLEY WILLARD (M L, AM RL)

CURRENT CLUB: Fraserburgh.

Harley Willard is a tenacious character, and at 38, he has completed arguably his best ever season at Fraserburgh. The midfielder scored four goals and laid on nine assists for the Highland League side this term. Willard also picked up 11 yellow cards, indicating that he's not willing to tone down his aggressive ball-winning game as he gets older. Despite being the oldest of our original 20 players, Harley is on course to be the last one standing.

Milestones: none.

Season Statistics: Fraserburgh - APPS: 35, GOALS: 4, ASSISTS: 9, YC: 11, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.82.

Career Statistics: APPS: 335, GOALS: 22, ASSISTS: 56, YC: 70, RC: 9.

OLIVER SHENTON (DM/M C)

CURRENT CLUB: Bognor Regis Town.

INTERNATIONAL STATUS: 1 cap for England Under-19s.

It takes real character to bounce back from a broken leg at the age of 37. Oliver Shenton has shown tremendous determination to resume his career, signing for Bognor Regis Town just seven months after suffering that horrendous injury with Chelmsford City. Shenton made 33 appearances in the Conference South for Bognor Regis this season and, understandably, was nowhere near his best. However, Oliver has been offered a new contract by the West Sussex club that will stretch his playing career into a 23rd - and possibly final - season.

Milestones: 03/08/35 - Moved to Bognor Regis Town. 11/08/35 - Debut for Bognor Regis Town vs Farnborough.

Season Statistics: Bognor Regis Town - APPS: 35, GOALS: 0, ASSISTS: 7, YC: 0, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.46.

Career Statistics: APPS: 751, GOALS: 17, ASSISTS: 125, YC: 27, RC: 1.

[CFuller]

Premier League

Top Four: Manchester City (1st), Manchester United (2nd), Arsenal (3rd), Southampton (4th).

Relegated: Watford (18th), Sheffield Wednesday (19th), Swansea City (20th).

Championship

Promoted: Leeds United (1st), Reading (2nd), Hull City (5th).

Also in Play-Offs: Southend United (3rd), Newcastle United (4th), AFC Bournemouth (6th).

Relegated: Birmingham City (22nd), Leyton Orient (23rd), Leicester City (24th).

League One

Promoted: Gillingham (1st), Oldham Athletic (2nd), Wycombe Wanderers (6th).

Also in Play-Offs: Newport County (3rd), Norwich City (4th), Peterborough United (5th).

Relegated: Rochdale (21st), Shrewsbury Town (22nd), Stevenage (23rd), Oxford United (24th).

League Two

Promoted: Accrington Stanley (1st), Notts County (2nd), Coventry City (3rd), Hayes & Yeading United (5th).

Also in Play-Offs: Preston North End (4th), Barnet (6th), Northampton Town (7th).

Relegated: Barnsley (23rd), Fleetwood Town (24th).

Conference Premier

Promoted: Bolton Wanderers (1st), Torquay United (3rd).

Also in Play-Offs: Bristol Rovers (2nd), King's Lynn Town (4th), Stockport County (5th).

Relegated: Wealdstone (21st), Tamworth (22nd), Forest Green Rovers (23rd), Alfreton Town (24th).

Conference North

Promoted: Chorley (1st), FC United of Manchester (3rd).

Also in Play-Offs: Bradford Park Avenue (2nd), Barrow (4th), North Ferriby United (5th).

Relegated: Altrincham (20th), Leamington (21st), Redditch United (22nd).

Conference South

Promoted: Ebbsfleet United (1st), Chelmsford City (3rd).

Also in Play-Offs: Maidstone United (2nd), Grays Athletic (4th), Oxford City (5th).

Relegated: Margate (20th), Wingate & Finchley (21st), Staines Town (22nd).

Promoted to Conference North/South: AFC Fylde, Eastbourne Borough, Havant & Waterlooville, Southport, Tonbridge Angels, Truro City.

Cup Winners

FA Cup: Southampton 4-3 Queens Park Rangers.

League Cup: Manchester City 3-1 Arsenal.

Community Shield: Chelsea 1-1 Manchester City (5-4 penalties).

Football League Trophy: Wycombe Wanderers 1-0 Chesterfield.

UEFA Champions League: Lens 2-1 Arsenal.

UEFA Europa League: Southampton 3-0 Cesena.

UEFA Super Cup: Arsenal 1-0 Manchester City.

Club World Championship: Manchester City 4-1 Espérance Sportive de Tunis.

Major European Leagues

Dutch Eredivisie: FC Utrecht (1st), Ajax (2nd), Feyenoord (3rd).

French Ligue 1: Paris Saint-Germain (1st), Lens (2nd), Lyon (3rd).

German Bundesliga: Bayer Leverkusen (1st), Bayern Munich (2nd), Wolfsburg (3rd).

Italian Serie A: Inter Milan (1st), Juventus (2nd), Torino (3rd).

Portuguese Primeira Liga: Benfica (1st), Porto (2nd), Nacional da Madeira (3rd).

Russian Premier League: Krylja Sovetov Samara (1st), FC Krasnodar (2nd), Lokomotiv Moscow (3rd).

Scottish Premiership: Hibernian (1st), Rangers (2nd), Celtic (3rd).

Spanish La Liga: Barcelona (1st), Valencia (2nd), Espanyol (3rd).

UEFA Euro 2036

[Groups]

[Knockout Stages]

Final: England 4-1 France.

[CFuller]

All of our players are now 39 years of age.

And so, after 23 seasons, the 'Next Generation' project has come to an end. The last two of our original 20 players have hung up their boots a few months shy of their 40th birthdays, and they leave the game having had very different careers.

Harley Willard was not the project's most successful player in terms of accolades, but he has garnered a reputation as our greatest survivor. Willard suffered a life-threatening skull fracture when he was in his mid-20s, yet he was able to carry on playing. After moving to many different clubs without getting much action, he finally settled at Fraserburgh, staying with the Scottish non-leaguers until the end of this season.

Oliver Shenton finishes his career having made nearly 800 career appearances - more than any of our other 19 players. The midfielder spent the vast majority of his career at the lower end of the Football League, but finished up in the Conference South with Bognor Regis Town. Shenton was the very last 'Next Generation' player to confirm his retirement.

HARLEY WILLARD (M L, AM RL)

[RETIRED] PREVIOUS CLUBS: Fraserburgh.

London-born Scottish midfielder Harley Willard has called time on his long, eventful career. Willard played in over 200 games during a seven-year stint at non-league Fraserburgh, for whom he made more than half of his career appearances. His performances had dropped off in recent weeks, so it was not surprising that he has decided to stop now. Harley will now take a break from football as he looks ahead to the next chapter of his life.

Milestones: 31/05/37 - Retired from football.

Season Statistics: Fraserburgh - APPS: 33, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 4, YC: 4, RC: 2, AV RAT: 6.52.

Career Statistics: APPS: 368, GOALS: 23, ASSISTS: 60, YC: 74, RC: 11.

OLIVER SHENTON (DM/M C)

[RETIRED] PREVIOUS CLUBS: Bognor Regis Town.

The last of the original 20 players to retire, Oliver Shenton spent his final season in the Conference South with Bognor Regis Town. Although he played in all but four of the Sussex side's league matches, Shenton was only able to contribute four assists as Bognor Regis finished 16th. After announcing his intention to finish playing in January, Oliver began studying for his first coaching badges. With his exceptional leadership skills, we have confidence that he will have as long a career in coaching as in playing.

Milestones: 21/06/37 - Retired from football.

Season Statistics: Bognor Regis Town - APPS: 44, GOALS: 1, ASSISTS: 5, YC: 2, RC: 0, AV RAT: 6.43.

Career Statistics: APPS: 795, GOALS: 18, ASSISTS: 130, YC: 29, RC: 1.

[CFuller]

Premier League

Top Four: Manchester City (1st), Southampton (2nd), Brighton & Hove Albion (3rd), Tottenham Hotspur (4th).

Relegated: Fulham (18th), Sheffield United (19th), Leeds United (20th).

Championship

Promoted: Swansea City (1st), Sheffield Wednesday (2nd), Aston Villa (5th).

Also in Play-Offs: Southend United (3rd), Watford (4th), AFC Bournemouth (5th).

Relegated: Wigan Athletic (22nd), Crewe Alexandra (23rd), Gillingham (24th).

League One

Promoted: Birmingham City (1st), Norwich City (2nd), Notts County (5th).

Also in Play-Offs: Peterborough United (3rd), Newport County (4th), Leyton Orient (6th).

Relegated: Mansfield Town (21st), Luton Town (22nd), Hartlepool United (23rd), Milton Keynes Dons (24th).

League Two

Promoted: Bolton Wanderers (1st), Northampton Town (2nd), Crawley Town (3rd), Cambridge United (7th).

Also in Play-Offs: Preston North End (4th), Wrexham (5th), Barnet (6th).

Relegated: Gateshead (23rd), Millwall (24th).

Conference Premier

Promoted: Barnsley (1st), Dagenham & Redbridge (2nd).

Also in Play-Offs: Stockport County (3rd), Bristol Rovers (4th), Scunthorpe United (5th).

Relegated: Ebbsfleet United (21st), FC Halifax Town (22nd), Burton Albion (23rd), Woking (24th).

Conference North

Promoted: Boston United (1st), Nuneaton Town (2nd).

Also in Play-Offs: Grimsby Town (3rd), Tamworth (4th), Bishop's Stortford (5th).

Relegated: Southport (20th), Cambridge City (21st), Kidderminster Town (22nd).

Conference South

Promoted: Bath City (1st), Dover Athletic (4th).

Also in Play-Offs: Grays Athletic (2nd), Maidstone United (3rd), Eastleigh (5th).

Relegated: Tonbridge Angels (20th), Weston-super-Mare (21st), Truro City (22nd).

Promoted to Conference North/South: Altrincham, Guiseley, Hitchin Town, Leamington, Margate, Witham Town.

Cup Winners

FA Cup: Liverpool 1-1 Manchester United (4-3 penalties).

League Cup: Everton 3-1 West Bromwich Albion.

Community Shield: Manchester City 2-2 Southampton (4-2 penalties).

Football League Trophy: Birmingham City 4-2 Blackpool (aet).

UEFA Champions League: Juventus 2-0 Manchester United.

UEFA Europa League: Tenerife 3-1 West Bromwich Albion.

UEFA Super Cup: Southampton 2-0 Lens.

Club World Championship: Lens 2-1 Sao Paulo.

Major European Leagues

Dutch Eredivisie: Feyenoord (1st), De Graafschap (2nd), SC Cambuur (3rd).

French Ligue 1: Lens (1st), Monaco (2nd), Paris Saint-Germain (3rd).

German Bundesliga: Wolfsburg (1st), Bayern Munich (2nd), Bayer Leverkusen (3rd).

Italian Serie A: AC Milan (1st), Juventus (2nd), Palermo (3rd).

Portuguese Primeira Liga: Benfica (1st), Porto (2nd), Nacional da Madeira (3rd).

Russian Premier League: Zenit St Petersburg (1st), FC Krasnodar (2nd), Spartak Moscow (3rd).

Scottish Premiership: Hibernian (1st), Aberdeen (2nd), Motherwell (3rd).

Spanish La Liga: Barcelona (1st), Real Madrid (2nd), Tenerife (3rd).

[CFuller]

Exactly 24 years ago today, on 8 July 2014, we started tracking 20 first-year scholars at Premier League clubs, who we reckoned would have bright futures in professional football.

It is now 2038, and the bright-eyed 16-year-olds who potentially had the footballing world literally at their feet are now 40 and retired. Some can look back on their careers with a sense of satisfaction, while others will ponder what could’ve - or perhaps even should’ve - been.

The player that we arguably had the biggest hopes for was Dominic Solanke, and he didn’t start too badly when he won the FA Cup with Chelsea at just 17. Disappointingly, he could not fulfil his full potential with the Blues, and he went on to spend the majority of his goalscoring career in the Championship.

Despite being tipped for star status at Manchester United, Marcus Rashford also underperformed. A combination of injuries and a poor attitude meant that he never played in the Premier League. On the other side of Manchester, Tosin Adarabioyo’s decision to leave City while still a teenager would ultimately backfire and consign him to the lower leagues for the rest of his career.

The only player from our project who did become a Premier League mainstay - for the best part of a decade - was Cameron Carter-Vickers. At the peak of his powers, Sheffield United forked out £7,750,000 to sign the United States international defender.

Midfielder Kieran Dowell had a couple of PL spells throughout an impressive career that saw him play for 10 different clubs and never get released on a free. Tom Matthews turned out for 11 teams, mostly in the lower tiers. The biggest journeyman was Adam Phillips, who represented a dozen clubs in his career! He did, though, spend several years at Norwich City alongside Hamza Choudhury, who like him was a relatively late bloomer.

Easah Suliman became a solid second-tier centre-back at Millwall and Brighton & Hove Albion. He was badly hampered later on after he fractured his skull twice in as many seasons. Harley Willard was also very unlucky to suffer a skull fracture that almost killed him at just 23. He narrowly survived and went on to have a long career playing in Scotland at professional and then semi-pro level.

Stefan Broccoli also left England fairly early in his career, spending about a decade in Italy’s third division. Oliver Shenton, meanwhile, played in close to 600 Football League games over the course of 17 seasons. Matt Hinchliffe was less successful, as he drifted into part-time football after a number of failed attempts to kick-start his League career.

Chris Willock was a massive disappointment. After leaving Arsenal at 20 years old, he spent the next 18 years playing non-league football all across the country. He did have a long and full career, mind, and that was more than could be said of six players who retired early.

Sam Howes and Aaron Lewis gave up football in their late-20s, when it became clear that they were never going to play professionally again. Khius Metz and Luke Molyneux hung up their boots a bit earlier after spending some time together at AFC Fylde. Corie Andrews lost his appetite for the game when he was just 22, while Kyle Edwards’ career never really got off the starting blocks.

Read on for a full summary of all of our 20 players’ careers, featuring all the highs and lows from their journeys.

Our players are listed in chronological order from earliest retirement to latest.

KYLE EDWARDS

Much was expected of Kyle Edwards at West Bromwich Albion, so it was particularly disappointing that he was the first of our players to drop out of football. The Dudley-born attacking midfielder just did not develop at all during his two-year scholarship at West Brom, and made even less of an impact during his solitary season as a pro. Having failed to get anywhere near the first-team, Edwards was released at the age of just 19. Kyle only ever wanted to play for his beloved Albion, and that rejection led him to quit the sport altogether.

Where is he now?

Kyle has had no involvement in professional football since his release by West Brom over two decades ago. The Black Country boy has had a number of jobs working in the local community and now runs a company that helps disadvantaged youths in the area get involved in sport.

Milestones:

30/06/2017      Released by West Brom
11/03/2018      Retired from football aged 20

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-17         West Brom            0     0    0    0    0
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                0     0    0    0    0[/b][/color]

CORIE ANDREWS

Corie Andrews first came to prominence as a 15-year-old in Crystal Palace's Under-18s side, but the striker's potential would go unfulfilled. In truth, while 'The Roadrunner' always had explosive pace, his technical ability was badly lacking. Andrews would play just twice for Palace's first-team, which most of his senior appearances coming during three separate loan spells at Wrexham. After the Eagles decided in the summer of 2021 that he was never going to make the grade at Selhurst Park, Corie became disillusioned with football. His professional career was effectively over, at the age of just 22.

Where is he now?

Although he was a trainee at Crystal Palace, Corie is actually a long-time Arsenal fan. It was a dream come true, then, when he joined the Gunners as their Under-14s coach a few years ago. Before then, he had held similar positions coaching schoolboy teams associated with Palace and Charlton Athletic.

Milestones:

08/05/2016      Senior debut for Crystal Palace aged 18
15/07/2016      Moved to Wrexham on loan
04/02/2017      First senior goal for Wrexham aged 19
23/07/2017      Moved to Wrexham on loan
14/04/2018      WON Conference Premier with Wrexham
01/10/2018      Moved to Dag & Red on loan
04/08/2019      Moved to Wrexham on loan
30/06/2020      Released by Crystal Palace
28/10/2021      Retired from football aged 24

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-20         Crystal Palace       2     0    0    1    0
2016-18    [L]  Wrexham              44    16   2    0    0
2018-19    [L]  Dag & Red            5     1    0    0    0
2019-20    [L]  Wrexham              40    10   1    2    0
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                91    27   3    3    0[/b][/color]

LUKE MOLYNEUX

Born in Durham and raised in Northumberland, Luke Molyneux was a rare breed - a left-footed English winger with clever technique and inventive dribbling skills. Sadly, one thing he lacked was the right mindset for professional football. Molyneux didn't make enough progress at Sunderland to merit a first-team appearance, and he was let go at just 19. He then moved from the north-east to the north-west, where he spent four years playing semi-professionally at AFC Fylde. Although Luke's career with the Conference North club started brightly enough, his full-time job soon got in the way. He left Kellamergh Park in 2021 and was never seen on a football pitch again.

Where is he now?

Unlike our other 19 players, we have not been able to get in touch with Luke for this feature. We know very little about what the north-easterner has been doing since quitting football, although we understand that he is currently living in Bolton.

Milestones:

30/06/2017      Released by Sunderland
16/10/2017      Moved to AFC Fylde for free
17/10/2017      Senior debut for AFC Fylde aged 19
13/04/2019      First senior goal for AFC Fylde aged 21
30/06/2021      Released by AFC Fylde
28/10/2022      Retired from football aged 24

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-17         Sunderland           0     0    0    0    0
2017-21         AFC Fylde            102   7    16   22   1
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                102   7    16   22   1[/b][/color]

KHIUS METZ

Khius Metz shunned a potential career as a sprinter to try and make the grade in football. In hindsight, it was not a fantastic decision. A lack of focus on the training pitch meant that the striker was released by Burnley after just one season as a professional. Metz then played on for seven years at part-time AFC Fylde as he tried to get back into the professional game the hard way. He didn't do too badly, either, scoring 77 competitive goals for Fylde. However, things would soon turn sour for Khius, who left the club in 2024. That would mark the end of his playing career, as he turned down an offer from an Irish club to focus on a new job in his native Manchester.

Where is he now?

At the age of 30, after a string of dead-end jobs, Khius went back to his athletics roots. He began coaching some young sprinters in Manchester, one of whom went on to represent England at the Commonwealth Games. He now lives and works in North Carolina, where brother Jermaine graduated from university and became a psychologist.

Milestones:

30/06/2017      Released by Burnley
25/07/2017      Moved to AFC Fylde for free
12/08/2017      Senior debut for AFC Fylde aged 19
02/09/2017      First senior goal for AFC Fylde aged 19
27/02/2024      Released by AFC Fylde
17/09/2024      Retired from football aged 26

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-17         Burnley              0     0    0    0    0
2017-24         AFC Fylde            253   77   15   28   1
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                253   77   15   28   1[/b][/color]

SAM HOWES

Sam Howes started out as a promising goalkeeper at West Ham United's academy - but then his career took the first of many twists and turns. A transfer to Middlesbrough in 2016 did the then teenage Howes' prospects more harm than good as he struggled to make his mark at the Riverside Stadium. By 2020, he was playing part-time for Trafford, where his impressive displays attracted interest from Harrogate Town. Sam played at Wembley in the FA Trophy Final during his first full season at Harrogate, but that was as good as it would get. A little over two years later, he was left on the scrapheap, and wondering how on Earth his talent had gone to waste.

Where is he now?

Sam returned to east London after his goalkeeping career went belly-up in the north. Like several of our other players, he went into youth coaching - for a while. Nowadays, he works as a PE teacher at a primary school in Dagenham.

Milestones:

06/01/2016      Moved to Middlesbrough for £110k
18/03/2017      Moved to FC Halifax on loan
25/03/2017      Senior debut for FC Halifax aged 19
30/06/2020      Released by Middlesbrough
23/12/2020      Moved to Trafford for free
13/02/2022      Released by Trafford
17/03/2022      Moved to Harrogate for free
26/03/2023      Lost FA Trophy Final with Harrogate
30/06/2025      Released by Harrogate
05/03/2026      Retired from football aged 28

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  CON  CS   YC   RC[/b]
2014-16         West Ham             0     0    0    0    0
2016-20         Middlesbrough        3     6    0    0    0
2017       [L]  FC Halifax           4     5    0    0    0
2020-22         Trafford             30    20   16   0    0
2022-25         Harrogate            57    62   15   0    0
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                94    93   31   0    0[/b][/color]

[CFuller]

AARON LEWIS

Although he was capped by Wales at Under-21s level, right-back Aaron Lewis did not get any first-team chances at Swansea City. After his Swansea prospects were wrecked by a string of injuries while on loan at Newport County, Lewis relocated from south Wales to the south coast of England. He had three unhappy years with Brighton & Hove Albion and then moved on to non-league Eastleigh. Aaron became a Spitfires favourite over the course of five seasons that saw the club establish itself in the Conference Premier. However, he was released in 2026 after falling out of favour with the club's management, and he officially retired from football a few months later.

Where is he now?

Aaron is firmly settled in Hampshire, where he has a large family and a secure office job. The Welshman did not go into much detail about his current line of work when we contacted him, but he says that he has no regrets about turning his back from football when he did.

Milestones:

31/07/2016      Moved to Newport County on loan
09/08/2016      Senior debut for Newport County aged 18
30/06/2017      Released by Swansea
31/01/2018      Moved to Brighton for free
29/09/2020      Moved to Lincoln on loan
20/03/2021      First senior goal for Lincoln aged 22
30/06/2021      Released by Brighton
26/09/2021      Moved to Eastleigh for free
18/04/2022      WON Conference South with Eastleigh
30/06/2026      Released by Eastleigh
02/12/2026      Retired from football aged 28

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-17         Swansea              0     0    0    0    0
2016-17    [L]  Newport County       5     0    0    0    0
2018-21         Brighton             4     0    0    0    0
2020-21    [L]  Lincoln              32    1    2    0    0
2021-26         Eastleigh            136   18   20   6    0
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                197   19   22   6    0[/b][/color]

STEFAN BROCCOLI

Stefan Broccoli made steady progress during his time as a youth player at Newcastle United. When Broccoli made his first-team debut for the Magpies aged 19, the defensive midfielder looked set for a solid career at St James' Park. However, his development slowed down after a string of difficult loan spells in lower-league football. Following a tempestuous stint at Carlisle United, during which he picked up no fewer than three red cards, Stefan was shown the door by Newcastle.

Having been capped by Italy at youth level earlier in his career, Broccoli moved to his father's homeland in 2020 to continue his playing career. He would spend the next decade playing in Italy's third division for four different clubs. After three productive seasons with Sudtirol-Alto Adige, Stefan gradually went into decline. That culminated in his release by Vigor Lamezia in 2030, and retirement at the relatively young age of 32.

Where is he now?

Stefan qualified for a UEFA A Licence after he finished playing, but he has not gone into coaching at a professional level. After a few years managing a village youth team in Calabria, he returned home to Peterborough. He now works for a local recruitment firm.

Milestones:

29/04/2017      Senior debut for Newcastle aged 19
11/10/2017      Moved to Bury on loan
14/10/2017      First senior goal for Bury aged 19
10/10/2018      Moved to Gateshead on loan
18/11/2018      Moved to Barnet on loan
28/07/2019      Moved to Carlisle on loan
30/06/2020      Released by Newcastle
31/08/2020      Moved to Sudtirol on free transfer
31/08/2023      Moved to Lecce for £250k
01/07/2026      Moved to Robur Siena on free transfer
30/06/2028      Released by Robur Siena
04/07/2028      Moved to Vigor Lamezia on free transfer
30/06/2030      Released by Vigor Lamezia
02/12/2030      Retired from football aged 32

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-20         Newcastle            3     0    0    1    0
2017-18    [L]  Bury                 29    3    1    4    0
2018       [L]  Gateshead            5     0    2    0    0
2018-19    [L]  Barnet               22    1    1    4    0
2019-20    [L]  Carlisle             35    1    5    6    3
2020-23         Sudtirol             89    6    14   13   1
2023-26         Lecce                68    3    9    8    0
2026-28         Robur Siena          34    0    4    1    0
2028-30         Vigor Lamezia        39    0    4    8    1
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                324   14   40   45   5[/b][/color]

EASAH SULIMAN

Easah Suliman showed real promise as a teenage centre-back at Aston Villa, so it was surprisingly that he only played one competitive game for their senior side. Suliman had to go out on loan several times, including twice to Burton Albion, to build up his experience. By the time he was 22, Easah was growing impatient at Villa Park. The lure of regular Championship football with Millwall proved hard to resist, so the young man left home for good.

It would be fair to say that Suliman slowly but steadily became a regular fixture in the Millwall defence. Over five-and-a-half seasons, he endeared himself to the Lions fans whilst establishing himself internationally with Pakistan. He moved on in 2026 to Brighton & Hove Albion, who gave him a couple of stints in the Premier League. Easah wouldn't have much time to make an impact in the top flight, as a couple of skull fractures and other injuries hastened his demise. By 2031, his body had given up, and retirement soon followed.

Where is he now?

Easah has become a successful businessman after leaving football. He owns a number of Pakistani restaurants and takeaways in the West Midlands region. He has also joined forces with former England cricketer and long-time friend Moeen Ali to front an initiative aimed at getting more British Asian youngsters into professional sport.

Milestones:

28/07/2016      Moved to Burton on loan
06/08/2016      Senior debut for Burton aged 18
22/04/2017      WON League Two with Burton
29/07/2017      Lost European Under-19s Championship Final with England
17/09/2017      Moved to Shrewsbury on loan
17/03/2018      First senior goal for Shrewsbury aged 20
21/01/2019      Moved to Burton on loan
17/11/2019      Moved to Exeter on loan
21/06/2020      Moved to Millwall for £135k
17/10/2023      First international cap for Pakistan aged 24
18/01/2026      Moved to Brighton for £1.9m
21/06/2031      Retired from football aged 33

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-20         Aston Villa          1     0    0    0    0
2016-17    [L]  Burton               33    0    2    2    0
2017-18    [L]  Shrewsbury           31    1    2    1    0
2019       [L]  Burton               19    2    1    0    0
2019-20    [L]  Exeter               14    0    3    2    0
2020-26         Millwall             174   3    5    8    0
2026-31         Brighton             90    0    1    3    0
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                362   6    14   16   0[/b][/color]

[b]YEARS           COUNTRY              APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2023-31         Pakistan             34    0    0    0    0

MARCUS RASHFORD

You could argue that former Manchester United midfielder Marcus Rashford wasted his exceptional talent. He may not have had tremendous luck with injuries during his time at Old Trafford, but it was a lack of application that saw Rashford go down the Ravel Morrison road rather than the Ryan Giggs path. After a host of disappointing loan spells, he was released by United at the age of 22. Marcus started to rebuild his career at Charlton Athletic, but when he made a big-money move to Ipswich Town less than 18 months later, it all came crashing down.

Rashford was horribly neglected at Portman Road, and after just five appearances in two years, he was sold on the cheap to Southend United. That began a five-year stint at Roots Hall in which his attitude yo-yoed as much as the team itself. Far too often, his greediness on the ball and determination to take the glory irked his team-mates, not to mention his various managers. Marcus' Shrimpers career imploded altogether in 2029, and he saw out his playing days down in League Two with Mansfield Town.

Where is he now?

Marcus took a couple of years out of football before resurfacing as Redditch United’s assistant manager in 2034. He spent a season as John Brayford’s number 2, but was then sacked after a dispute with the former Burton Albion player and boss. He has been working as an Under-18s coach at Newcastle United since last year.

Milestones:

23/02/2016      Moved to Oldham on loan
27/02/2016      Senior debut for Oldham aged 18
01/03/2016      First senior goal for Oldham aged 18
06/11/2016      Moved to Portsmouth on loan
22/09/2018      Moved to Notts County on loan
15/07/2019      Moved to Wigan on loan
30/06/2020      Released by Man United
30/07/2020      Moved to Charlton on free transfer
13/01/2022      Moved to Ipswich for £1.3m
31/01/2024      Moved to Southend for £27.5k
03/05/2025      WON League One with Southend
01/05/2027      WON League One with Southend
21/01/2029      Released by Southend
31/01/2029      Moved to Mansfield on free transfer
20/06/2032      Retired from football aged 34

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-20         Man United           0     0    0    0    0
2016       [L]  Oldham               6     2    0    0    0
2016-17    [L]  Portsmouth           14    1    0    0    0
2018-19    [L]  Notts County         35    5    2    2    0
2019-20    [L]  Wigan                27    1    1    0    0
2020-22         Charlton             59    11   0    5    0
2022-24         Ipswich              5     1    0    0    0
2024-29         Southend             122   29   3    6    0
2029-32         Mansfield            88    9    13   3    0
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                356   59   19   16   0[/b][/color]

KIERAN DOWELL

A first-team debutant at just 17, Kieran Dowell was surely destined to become a mainstay in Everton's midfield. That didn't quite happen for him, though. Everton's fluke Premier League title win in 2018 marked the beginning of the end of Dowell's Goodison Park dream. After getting four years of first-team experience under his belt in the lower leagues, Kieran was ready for his first taste of regular top-flight football. His transfer to Crystal Palace in 2020 began in earnest a career that would see him jump back and forth between the PL and the Championship.

Dowell's promising stint at Crystal Palace resulted in a high-profile transfer to Norwich City, where he shifted from the centre of midfield to the right. He then became somewhat of a journeyman, spending 18 months at Hull City, and a season apiece at Swansea City and Aston Villa. It wasn't until Blackburn Rovers came calling in 2027 that he truly settled down. Although Blackburn never returned to the PL during Kieran's time at Ewood Park, they certainly benefited from the experienced midfielder's creativity and eye for a pass. When he retired gracefully from playing at 34, Rovers fans were quick to give their thanks for five seasons of exceptional service.

Where is he now?

Blackburn supporters’ feeling of fondness for Kieran was mutual. The ex-midfielder stayed at Ewood Park in an ambassadorial role after he finished playing. He also underwent media training, and since 2035, he has been a co-commentator for most Blackburn games on Radio Rovers.

Milestones:

29/10/2014      Senior debut for Everton aged 17
17/11/2016      Moved to Coventry on loan
18/02/2017      First senior goal for Coventry aged 19
03/08/2017      Moved to Crewe on loan
07/08/2018      Moved to Huddersfield on loan
02/08/2019      Moved to Crewe on loan
08/07/2020      Moved to Crystal Palace for £275k
14/01/2022      Moved to Norwich for £1.5m
05/01/2024      Moved to Hull for £575k
02/07/2025      Moved to Swansea for £825k
15/06/2026      Moved to Aston Villa for £850k
01/07/2027      Moved to Blackburn for £2.3m
23/06/2032      Retired from football aged 34

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-20         Everton              3     0    0    1    0
2016-17    [L]  Coventry             19    1    2    0    0
2017-18    [L]  Crewe                27    1    1    2    0
2018-19    [L]  Huddersfield         48    8    6    0    0
2019-20    [L]  Crewe                29    0    6    2    0
2020-22         Crystal Palace       20    1    6    0    0
2022-24         Norwich              71    4    17   2    0
2024-25         Hull                 22    1    2    1    0
2025-26         Swansea              29    2    1    2    0
2026-27         Aston Villa          46    1    15   0    0
2027-32         Blackburn            223   30   68   9    2
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                537   49   124  19   2[/b][/color]

[tenthreeleader]

Just love the hard work and detail you've put into this. Super stuff.

[CFuller]

HAMZA CHOUDHURY

Hamza Choudhury played his first Premier League game for Leicester City in 2015 at a very young age - and it would also be his last. Choudhury had an ego about the same size as his afro, and a serious attitude problem that saw him miss three training sessions in one season. That particular campaign came in the middle of four separate loan spells at Northampton Town. Although Hamza certainly got used to playing League Two football while at Northampton, his prospects at Leicester quickly diminished. A free transfer to Oldham Athletic followed for the defensive midfielder, who was also turning into an accomplished left-back.

Some solid performances for Oldham earned Choudhury a move to Wigan Athletic in 2024. Although he would only stay at the DW Stadium for a year, he certainly did a lot of growing up there. Hamza was subsequently snapped up by Championship big boys Norwich City. He would emerge as a fans' favourite at the Norwich Stadium, making nearly 250 appearances for the Canaries prior to relegation in 2030. After that, his career endgame would be played out across two difficult seasons with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Where is he now?

Although his famous haircut is a little shorter and greyer than it was during his pomp, Hamza’s personality is still larger than life. He joined Fox/Sky Sports after retiring from playing and has been part of their Football League punditry team for six years. He is particularly well known for his regular on-air partnership with commentator and fellow Leicester City fan Ian Stringer.

Milestones:

08/01/2015      Senior debut for Leicester aged 17
13/07/2016      Moved to Northampton on loan
20/07/2018      Moved to Northampton on loan
11/08/2019      Moved to Northampton on loan
03/09/2019      First senior goal for Northampton aged 21
16/07/2020      Moved to Northampton on loan
30/06/2021      Released by Leicester
24/07/2021      Moved to Oldham for free
13/01/2024      Moved to Wigan for £60k
04/01/2025      Moved to Norwich for £575k
16/07/2030      Moved to Wolves for £275k
30/06/2032      Retired from football aged 34

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-21         Leicester            1     0    0    0    0
2016-17    [L]  Northampton          31    0    0    3    0
2018-21    [L]  Northampton          134   3    18   12   1
2021-24         Oldham               120   3    21   15   1
2024-25         Wigan                52    0    11   5    0
2025-30         Norwich              246   5    33   23   2
2030-32         Wolves               56    0    7    5    0
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                640   11   90   63   4[/b][/color]

MATT HINCHLIFFE

Hull City had a terrible record of bringing through youth players back in the 2010s, and Matt Hinchliffe was just another victim of their negligence. Centre-back Hinchliffe didn't even get close to a first-team breakthrough at the KC Stadium prior to his release in 2018. In fact, his only taste of competitive action came whilst on loan at FC United of Manchester. After leaving Hull, Matt agreed a deal with Conference North side Boston United.

Hinchliffe would spend the best part of his 20s frequently shifting between the Football League and the Conference. He ended up at the likes of Bury, Accrington Stanley and Crawley Town, but only Forest Green Rovers gave him consistent first-team football. By 2026, having turned out for eight different clubs in as many seasons, Matt was seriously questioning his future in the sport.

Hinchliffe finished his professional career at seventh-tier Ilkeston, turning part-time for good after his first season there. As his commitment to his new day-to-day job grew, his football ability - and his importance to the Robins - gradually waned. Matt became surplus to requirements shortly after Ilkeston were promoted to the Conference North for the 2031/2032 season. He played out a few more games and then went into retirement.

Where is he now?

Matt is one of the more introverted members of our group and has led a quiet life away from football in recent years. He worked as an accountant in Derbyshire for several years during and after his stay at Ilkeston. Earlier this year, though, he returned to his native Hull after being appointed manager of the Bransholme branch of a national building society.

Milestones:

16/03/2017      Moved to FC United on loan
30/06/2018      Released by Hull
09/10/2018      Moved to Boston United on loan
13/10/2018      Senior debut for Boston United aged 21
30/03/2019      First senior goal for Boston United aged 21
02/09/2019      Moved to Bury for free
30/06/2020      Released by Bury
09/07/2020      Moved to Accrington for free
30/06/2021      Released by Accrington
09/07/2021      Moved to Forest Green for free
30/06/2022      Released by Forest Green
12/07/2022      Moved to Crawley for free
11/11/2023      Moved to Eastbourne Boro on loan
30/06/2024      Released by Crawley
08/08/2024      Moved to York for free
26/04/2025      WON Conference Premier with York
30/06/2025      Released by York
13/07/2025      Moved to Cambridge for free
30/06/2026      Released by Cambridge
08/09/2026      Moved to Ilkeston for free
29/02/2032      Released by Ilkeston
27/10/2032      Retired from football aged 35

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-18         Hull                 0     0    0    0    0
2017       [L]  FC United            6     1    0    0    0
2018-19         Boston United        23    2    1    0    0
2019-20         Bury                 3     0    0    0    0
2020-21         Accrington           1     0    0    0    0
2021-22         Forest Green         40    1    0    5    0
2022-24         Crawley              8     0    0    0    0
2023-24    [L]  Eastbourne Boro      12    1    1    5    0
2024-25         York                 11    0    0    0    1
2025-26         Cambridge            5     0    0    0    0
2026-32         Ilkeston             212   30   8    18   1
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                321   35   10   28   2[/b][/color]

TOSIN ADARABIOYO

You sometimes have to take risks, but Tosin Adarabioyo's big gamble early in his career did not pay off. Adarabioyo had been at Manchester City from a very young age, and by the age of 18, he was developing into a fine defender. Then AFC Bournemouth offered him an opportunity to become a real star at Dean Court. Tosin took the bait, but he was soon wishing he'd stayed at home.

Adarabioyo's first five seasons at Bournemouth were spent almost exclusively away from the club on loan. He did get some senior action for the Cherries in his sixth season, but was then unceremoniously shown the door. At 24, Tosin was on the move again - to Chesterfield. Over the course of three seasons, he made nearly 100 appearances and became a popular figure among the Spireites supporters.

Adarabioyo surprisingly left Chesterfield in 2025 for a single season with Charlton Athletic. That was followed by a fateful move to Plymouth Argyle, where his game went into freefall. Tosin was on the soccer scrapheap by 2030, when Yeovil Town found a use for the strong centre-back in their Conference Premier title-winning campaign. He didn't last much longer at Huish Park, though, and his career came to a quiet conclusion.

Where is he now?

Tosin studied for his coaching badges late in his playing career and joined the backroom staff at Tranmere Rovers in 2034. He has worked with the perennial League Two strugglers for the last four seasons. However, his future at Prenton Park came under scrutiny last year, when his son had a tempestuous and brief relationship with manager Scott Sinclair’s daughter.

Milestones:

31/08/2016      Moved to Bournemouth for £240k
19/09/2016      Moved to Cambridge on loan
25/09/2016      Senior debut for Cambridge aged 18
25/10/2016      Moved to Stevenage on loan
15/03/2018      Moved to Oxford on loan
20/03/2018      First senior goal for Oxford aged 20
20/07/2018      Moved to Oxford on loan
25/07/2019      Moved to Port Vale on loan
16/07/2020      Moved to Oxford on loan
30/06/2022      Released by Bournemouth
31/08/2022      Moved to Chesterfield for free
01/07/2025      Released by Chesterfield
10/07/2025      Moved to Charlton for free
06/08/2026      Moved to Plymouth for £195k
23/10/2028      Moved to Wycombe on loan
31/01/2030      Released by Plymouth
18/07/2030      Moved to Yeovil for free
19/04/2031      WON Conference Premier with Yeovil
30/06/2032      Released by Yeovil
11/01/2033      Retired from football aged 35

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-16         Man City             0     0    0    0    0
2016-22         Bournemouth          16    0    0    1    0
2016       [L]  Cambridge            2     0    0    0    0
2016-17    [L]  Stevenage            15    0    3    0    0
2018-19    [L]  Oxford               37    5    0    6    0
2019-20    [L]  Port Vale            36    1    2    6    0
2020-21    [L]  Oxford               44    2    3    2    0
2022-25         Chesterfield         96    4    3    6    0
2025-26         Charlton             34    0    1    3    1
2026-30         Plymouth             40    2    4    2    0
2028       [L]  Wycombe              4     0    0    0    0
2030-32         Yeovil               29    3    4    0    0
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                353   17   20   26   1[/b][/color]

TOM MATTHEWS

Right-back Tom Matthews joined Queens Park Rangers from his hometown club Norwich City as a 16-year-old. Matthews would stay at QPR for seven years, though he would only play one competitive game for them - on New Year's Day 2015. Tom was subsequently sent on loan to three different Conference Premier teams before spending three consecutive seasons as a loanee at Walsall.

Matthews' next permanent transfer was to Swindon Town in 2021. He struggled to adapt to regular League football at the County Ground, although that didn't stop Coventry City and then Exeter City from signing him to their teams. Tom's club-hopping continued with a very unhappy stint at Brighton & Hove Albion, and a short loan spell with Rotherham United that wasn't a great deal better.

As he entered the latter part of his career, Matthews returned to familiar surroundings. Second-comings at Exeter and Coventry came either side of a two-season stint in North Wales with Wrexham. Tom actually won the League Two title during his final season at Coventry in 2033. That marked a triumphant end to what had otherwise been an average journeyman's career.

Where is he now?

Tom went into management after retiring from playing, and he has fared terribly. Brief stints at Brackley Town in 2034/2035 and Tonbridge Angels in 2036/2037 both culminated in relegation from the Conference South. He hasn’t worked since, but his long-time wife Sophie Cracknell is a successful actress who has been nominated for several Laurence Olivier Awards.

Milestones:

01/01/2015      Senior debut for QPR aged 17
20/02/2016      Moved to Braintree on loan
19/03/2016      First senior goal for Braintree aged 17
13/07/2016      Moved to Ebbsfleet on loan
16/03/2018      Moved to Chester on loan
31/08/2018      Moved to Walsall on loan
15/07/2019      Moved to Walsall on loan
21/03/2020      WON Football League Trophy with Walsall
20/07/2020      Moved to Walsall on loan
30/06/2021      Released by QPR
09/07/2021      Moved to Swindon for free
31/01/2024      Moved to Coventry for £53k
21/01/2025      Moved to Exeter for £170k
21/01/2026      Moved to Brighton for £195k
23/02/2027      Moved to Rotherham on loan
14/08/2027      Moved to Exeter for £120k
01/07/2029      Released by Exeter
07/08/2029      Moved to Wrexham for free
30/06/2031      Released by Wrexham
26/09/2031      Moved to Coventry for free
18/04/2033      WON League Two with Coventry
30/06/2033      Released by Coventry
02/12/2033      Retired from football aged 36

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-21         QPR                  1     0    0    0    0
2016       [L]  Braintree            11    1    1    1    0
2016-17    [L]  Ebbsfleet            47    5    1    6    1
2018       [L]  Chester              9     0    0    1    0
2018-21    [L]  Walsall              88    5    0    9    2
2021-24         Swindon              70    1    1    6    1
2024-25         Coventry             30    3    1    4    0
2025-26         Exeter               33    2    1    4    0
2026-27         Brighton             5     0    0    1    0
2027       [L]  Rotherham            13    0    0    0    0
2027-29         Exeter               52    1    1    3    0
2029-31         Wrexham              44    1    0    7    0
2031-33         Coventry             61    1    1    5    0
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                464   20   7    47   4[/b][/color]

DOMINIC SOLANKE

Dominic Solanke had an unforgettable first season as a professional at Chelsea, scoring in the FA Cup Final when he was only 17. That was just the striker's second appearance for the Blues, and he wouldn't get another. In line with unofficial club policy at what was then Stamford Bridge, the striker was farmed out on loan season after season - to Burnley, Birmingham City, Cardiff City twice, and Brentford. Dominic gave up on his Chelsea dream in 2020, when he was sold to Norwich City for a pitiful £575,000.

Although Solanke didn't pull up too many trees at Norwich, his performances did convince Blackburn Rovers to sign him after a single season in Norfolk. He had two full seasons in the Premier League with Blackburn before jumping ship to Aston Villa. Now a Nigeria international, Dominic's strike rate markedly improved at Villa Park, to the extent that Ipswich Town were willing to pay over £2,000,000 for him in 2025.

Solanke unquestionably enjoyed the best years of his career at Portman Road. He had a reasonably impressive record of scoring at least nine goals in each of his six seasons with Ipswich. After netting 64 goals in 255 games, he said his goodbyes and moved to a new challenge with Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he lost his scoring touch. Now aged in his mid-30s and slowing down significantly, Dominic decided that it was time to bow out, though not before one final season at Northampton Town.

Where is he now?

Dominic hopes to make his name as a manager over the coming years. He started his new coaching career in women’s football, managing Reading WFC for a couple of seasons before moving on to Chelsea Ladies in 2037. However, his return to Chelsea ended acrimoniously after a touchline row with a star player got out of hand, and he is now looking to find another job in the men’s game.

Milestones:

22/11/2014      Senior debut for Chelsea aged 17
30/05/2015      First senior goal for Chelsea aged 17
30/05/2015      WON FA Cup with Chelsea
17/02/2016      Moved to Burnley on loan
15/09/2016      Moved to Birmingham on loan
03/08/2017      Moved to Cardiff on loan
27/09/2018      Moved to Brentford on loan
11/08/2019      Moved to Cardiff on loan
30/07/2020      Moved to Norwich for £575k
20/06/2021      Moved to Blackburn for £1.8m
18/03/2022      First international cap for Nigeria aged 24
31/01/2024      Moved to Aston Villa for £1.7m
01/09/2025      Moved to Ipswich for £2.1m
01/07/2031      Moved to Wolves for free
30/06/2033      Released by Wolves
31/08/2033      Moved to Northampton for free
30/06/2034      Retired from football aged 36

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-20         Chelsea              2     1    0    0    0
2016       [L]  Burnley              11    4    0    0    0
2016-17    [L]  Birmingham           31    7    0    0    0
2017-18    [L]  Cardiff              30    9    3    0    0
2018-19    [L]  Brentford            34    8    1    2    0
2019-20    [L]  Cardiff              20    4    0    1    1
2020-21         Norwich              35    7    1    0    0
2021-24         Blackburn            72    19   2    2    0
2024-25         Aston Villa          42    15   3    1    0
2025-31         Ipswich              255   64   4    11   2
2031-33         Wolves               50    8    3    3    0
2033-34         Northampton          16    4    0    0    0
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                598   150  17   20   3[/b][/color]

[b]YEARS           COUNTRY              APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2022-25         Nigeria              5     0    0    0    0

[jWaSiMhE]

Love this. Would love to hear the RL players thoughts on where they have ended up in this instance.

[CFuller]

CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS

Cameron Carter-Vickers was arguably our most successful player, at least in terms of top-flight appearances. It all began for the centre-half with his Tottenham Hotspur debut at just 17 years old. Carter-Vickers then spent some time on loan at Gillingham before building up his CV with short stays at Rangers, for whom he played in the Scottish Cup Final, and Leicester City. Cameron only played sparingly for Spurs in 2019/2020, and with some top-drawer defenders above him in the pecking order, he could sense that he had to move on.

Carter-Vickers really came to prominence at Watford, where he replaced former England star Chris Smalling as a regular starter. His displays also led to an international call-up from the United States, who gave him the first of 14 Team USA caps. Sadly, Watford were relegated from the Premier League in 2024, but Cameron stayed in the top league after a big-money move to Sheffield United. More relegation tears flowed at Bramall Lane two years later.

Carter-Vickers remained with United in the Championship for two more years and then moved to Leicester City, where he also failed to lead his team back into the PL. In the 2031/2032 season, he got one last crack at the top flight... with Sheffield Wednesday. Naturally, a former Blades favourite was never going to be warmly welcomed at Hillsborough. After playing just three times for the Owls, Cameron rounded off his career in the lower leagues with Bradford City. He called time on his playing career in 2034, not long before his 37th birthday.

Where is he now?

Once his playing days came to an end, Cameron tried his hand at coaching. He worked with a number of youth teams in West Yorkshire before deciding that it was not the right job for him. The former United States defender moved back to London and is now a football pundit, playing a major role in American network NBC’s live coverage of the Premier League.

Milestones:

24/01/2015      Senior debut for Tottenham aged 17
13/03/2016      Moved to Gillingham on loan
09/04/2016      First senior goal for Gillingham aged 18
11/07/2016      Moved to Gillingham on loan
30/07/2017      Moved to Rangers on loan
19/05/2018      Lost Scottish Cup Final with Rangers
19/08/2018      Moved to Leicester on loan
18/07/2020      Moved to Watford for £650k
28/03/2023      First international cap for United States aged 25
08/08/2024      Moved to Sheff United for £7.75m
04/08/2028      Moved to Leicester for £400k
30/06/2031      Released by Leicester
06/07/2031      Moved to Sheff Wed for free
31/08/2032      Moved to Bradford for £17.25k
01/07/2034      Released by Bradford
02/12/2034      Retired from football aged 36

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-20         Tottenham            9     0    1    1    0
2016-17    [L]  Gillingham           39    1    1    10   0
2017-18    [L]  Rangers              27    2    1    5    0
2018-19    [L]  Leicester            14    0    0    2    0
2020-24         Watford              113   0    6    20   2
2024-28         Sheff United         106   0    4    23   2
2028-31         Leicester            88    2    3    21   0
2031-32         Sheff Wed            3     0    0    0    0
2032-34         Bradford             65    2    2    13   0
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                464   7    18   95   4[/b][/color]

[b]YEARS           COUNTRY              APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2023-26         United States        14    0    0    1    0

ADAM PHILLIPS

Adam Phillips seemed set for stardom at Liverpool, who felt confident enough to put the then-teenage midfielder into the side for two UEFA Champions League matches. Sadly, he was released from Anfield in 2017, just months after playing in a continental Semi Final. Phillips was picked up by Watford, but injuries would blight his time at Vicarage Road. Adam played just three games in three years for the Hornets, and had loan spells with three different clubs, before being offloaded to Brighton & Hove Albion.

If Phillips thought life would get any better at Brighton, he was wrong. A continued lack of playing time saw his growth as a footballer stunted even further, and Middlesbrough didn’t treat him much better after signing him in 2022. It wasn’t until Adam was loaned to Southend United in 2023/2024 that he finally got a sustained run of first-team action. His solid form for the Shrimpers earned him a free transfer to Norwich City the following season.

Phillips thrived at Norwich for six consecutive seasons in the Championship, as the assists really began to flow and his old injury problems largely stayed away. He did lose his discipline quite regularly and pick up a slew of yellow cards, but for a combative midfielder, that was to be expected. Adam’s time with City came to an acrimonious end in 2032, though, after the club suffered two relegations in three seasons. The veteran tried - and failed - to bring about a late-career resurgence at Plymouth Argyle and then Lincoln City before finally retiring in 2035.

Where is he now?

Adam has been living on the south coast for the last few years. After taking a sabbatical from the sport, he was appointed as Head of Youth Development at non-league Eastbourne Borough in 2036. Eastbourne’s record of bringing through youth players into the senior side did not improve, though, and he was dismissed from his post at the end of last month.

Milestones:

18/02/2015      Senior debut for Liverpool aged 17
06/03/2017      Moved to Oxford on loan
30/06/2017      Released by Liverpool
13/07/2017      Moved to Watford for free
17/11/2017      Moved to Swindon on loan
23/02/2018      Moved to Oldham on loan
10/03/2018      First senior goal for Oldham aged 20
25/10/2018      Moved to Brentford on loan
01/07/2020      Moved to Brighton for £800k
16/09/2021      Moved to Charlton on loan
31/01/2022      Moved to Middlesbrough for £135k
02/10/2023      Moved to Southend on loan
30/06/2024      Released by Middlesbrough
06/07/2024      Moved to Norwich for free
30/06/2032      Released by Norwich
03/07/2032      Moved to Plymouth for free
30/06/2033      Released by Plymouth
31/08/2033      Moved to Lincoln for free
30/06/2035      Released by Lincoln
02/12/2035      Retired from football aged 37

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-17         Liverpool            2     0    0    0    0
2017       [L]  Oxford               5     0    1    1    0
2017-20         Watford              3     0    0    0    0
2017       [L]  Swindon              1     0    0    0    0
2018       [L]  Oldham               10    1    2    3    1
2018       [L]  Brentford            3     0    0    0    0
2020-22         Brighton             5     0    1    0    0
2021       [L]  Charlton             3     0    0    1    0
2022-24         Middlesbrough        18    0    2    7    0
2023-24    [L]  Southend             33    6    10   5    0
2024-32         Norwich              319   18   83   78   1
2032-33         Plymouth             19    4    2    3    0
2033-35         Lincoln              51    1    10   10   0
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                472   30   111  108  2[/b][/color]

CHRIS WILLOCK

Chris Willock sadly never got off the starting blocks as an Arsenal player. Willock was seen as a promising inside-forward at the Emirates Stadium before three serious injuries in as many seasons badly disrupted his progress. By 2018, he was without a club, with his only first-team experience coming while on loan at AFC Hornchurch. Chris left the home comforts of London and signed for Stockport County - a move that signalled the start of a journeyman career in non-league football.

After two years in Stockport, Willock spent the next two playing in the West Midlands for three different clubs. He returned south in 2022 with Bishop’s Stortford, but his long search for a club to settle at continued. Eastleigh played him just twice, and he was nothing more than a rotation player across two seasons with East Thurrock United. Chris finally became a regular starter at Brackley Town in 2027/2028, but his stay in Northamptonshire would be as brief as an earlier stint with another East Midlands side - Lincoln City.

Having played almost everywhere in England, Willock finally put down roots in the south-west after arriving at Weston-super-Mare aged 30. He played over 300 games for the Seagulls, who played mostly in the Southern League and had a couple of stints in the Conference South. Chris grew increasingly fond of Weston and finished his playing career with them at the age of 38.

Where is he now?

Chris has lived in Somerset for the past decade, although he is now based in Minehead as opposed to Weston-super-Mare. He moved west last year after taking a job organising sports activities for primary schoolchildren. His private life has been rather more chaotic, as he has had several children from at least three different women and is currently dating a girl half his age.

Milestones:

15/10/2016      Moved to AFC Hornchurch on loan
30/06/2018      Released by Arsenal
09/10/2018      Moved to Stockport for free
30/06/2020      Released by Stockport
12/07/2020      Moved to Hednesford for free
12/07/2021      Moved to Leamington for free
15/02/2022      Moved to Tamworth on loan
30/06/2022      Released by Leamington
26/10/2022      Moved to Bishop's Stortford for free
31/08/2023      Moved to Eastleigh for free
30/06/2024      Released by Eastleigh
08/10/2024      Moved to East Thurrock for free
02/08/2026      Moved to Lincoln for free
30/06/2027      Released by Lincoln
21/08/2027      Moved to Brackley for free
30/06/2028      Released by Brackley
15/08/2028      Moved to Weston-super-Mare for free
30/06/2036      Retired from football aged 38

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-18         Arsenal              0     0    0    0    0
2016-17    [L]  AFC Hornchurch       14    0    2    3    0
2018-20         Stockport            18    1    2    6    0
2020-21         Hednesford           10    0    0    1    1
2021-22         Leamington           12    0    0    2    0
2022       [L]  Tamworth             3     0    0    1    0
2022-23         Bishop's Stortford   14    2    2    2    0
2023-24         Eastleigh            2     0    1    0    0
2024-26         East Thurrock        37    3    9    14   1
2026-27         Lincoln              6     1    3    1    0
2027-28         Brackley             40    7    6    3    0
2028-36         Weston-super-Mare    303   21   68   67   4
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                459   35   93   100  6[/b][/color]

HARLEY WILLARD

We started tracking Harley Willard when the former Arsenal schoolboy was with Southampton. Disappointingly, the winger wasn’t able to make much of an impact at St Mary’s. Willard made his senior debut for the Saints in 2017 and then had a brief loan spell with Woking, but that was as far as he got. Harley was let go in 2018 and subsequently left the south coast for the north-east, where Gateshead offered him a career lifeline. The Tynesiders would win promotion to the Football League in 2020, but a year later, disaster struck.

Before the 2021/2022 season got underway, Willard was involved in a horrific training ground accident that almost cost him everything. A collision with a Gateshead team-mate left him with a fractured skull, and in a coma for several days. Harley made a miraculous recovery and returned to first-team action just three months later, but his playing days - at least in England - were numbered. The following summer, he moved north of the border to try and keep his career alive.

After four forgettably brief stints at a quartet of SPFL clubs, Willard finally got back to playing regularly with Elgin City in 2027. His joy didn’t last for long, and by 2030, he had dropped out of League football altogether. Harley moved on to part-time Fraserburgh, where he had seven enjoyable years playing in the Highland League. He gradually transitioned from a wideman to a midfielder to prolong his career until the age of 39, when he finally decided to stop. Frankly, it was quite an achievement to have carried on as long as he did.

Where is he now?

During his time with Fraserburgh, Harley began working full-time as a teacher at a secondary school in the remote Aberdeenshire town. His career has flourished over the years, as he has become widely respected by colleagues and students alike. He was recently appointed as a deputy head teacher, effective as of the start of the next school year in September.

Milestones:

22/02/2017      Senior debut for Southampton aged 19
23/03/2017      Moved to Woking on loan
30/06/2018      Released by Southampton
31/08/2018      Moved to Gateshead for free
15/09/2018      First senior goal for Gateshead aged 21
30/06/2022      Released by Gateshead
10/08/2022      Moved to Airdrie for free
10/08/2023      Moved to Livingston for £2.5k
27/01/2025      Moved to St Johnstone for free
31/05/2026      Released by St Johnstone
15/06/2026      Moved to Forfar for free
02/07/2027      Moved to Elgin for free
31/01/2030      Released by Elgin
09/07/2030      Moved to Fraserburgh for free
31/05/2037      Retired from football aged 39

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-18         Southampton          1     0    0    0    0
2017       [L]  Woking               5     0    0    0    0
2018-22         Gateshead            58    4    8    10   0
2022-23         Airdrie              3     1    0    0    0
2023-25         Livingston           4     0    1    1    0
2025-26         St Johnstone         3     0    1    0    0
2026-27         Forfar               6     0    0    2    1
2027-30         Elgin                43    1    5    8    3
2030-37         Fraserburgh          245   17   45   53   7
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                368   23   60   74   11[/b][/color]

OLIVER SHENTON

Oliver Shenton could well have been a useful midfielder for Stoke City. Sadly, he had the distinct disadvantage of being at a club that didn’t nurture its young talent particularly well. Shenton spent the best part of five seasons out on loan - a period that included three separate stints at Oldham Athletic - as he gained some much-needed Football League experience. Then, in 2020, Oliver reluctantly left the Britannia Stadium for good and agreed a transfer to Middlesbrough.

Shenton’s first year with the Boro was fairly promising, but his second was sadly wiped out by a cruciate ligament injury. He was then discarded and sent to Coventry City, where he had a couple of decent campaigns in League One. After that, he dropped into League Two with Rotherham United and won successive promotions with the Millers. Oliver went on to play 200 competitive matches for the club across half a decade and then returned to Coventry, who appointed him as captain for the 2030/2031 season.

Shenton finished his Football League career on a low note, suffering relegation with his next club Burton Albion in 2032. Although he subsequently won promotion from the Conference Premier while at Carlisle United, at 35, his best years were definitely behind him. The grizzly holding midfielder went part-time in the winter of his career, which started with a spell at Chelmsford City. Oliver’s spell in Essex was ended by a broken leg at the age of 37, but he bounced back and played on for two seasons at Bognor Regis Town before finally calling time.

Where is he now?

Oliver is now living in London, where he has been working as a coach with Fulham’s Under-18s squad since last September. He has also, to his credit, been maintaining his excellent fitness and doing charity runs. This April, he and his elder brother Frankie ran the London Marathon together in aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, and raised over £30,000.

Milestones:

22/02/2016      Moved to Peterborough on loan
27/02/2016      Senior debut for Peterborough aged 18
13/07/2016      Moved to Oldham on loan
25/10/2016      First senior goal for Oldham aged 18
31/08/2017      Moved to Oldham on loan
22/09/2018      Moved to Bolton on loan
17/07/2019      Moved to Oldham on loan
20/08/2020      Moved to Middlesbrough for £140k
14/08/2022      Moved to Coventry for £140k
30/06/2024      Released by Coventry
02/09/2024      Moved to Rotherham for free
17/08/2029      Moved to Coventry for £28.5k
01/07/2031      Released by Coventry
07/08/2031      Moved to Burton for free
01/07/2032      Released by Burton
25/08/2032      Moved to Carlisle for free
30/06/2033      Released by Carlisle
22/11/2033      Moved to Chelmsford for free
03/03/2035      Released by Chelmsford
03/08/2035      Moved to Bognor Regis for free
21/06/2037      Retired from football aged 39

Career Statistics: (Season Stats)

[b]YEARS           CLUB                 APPS  GLS  AST  YC   RC[/b]
2014-20         Stoke                0     0    0    0    0
2016       [L]  Peterborough         4     0    0    0    0
2016-18    [L]  Oldham               91    2    5    4    0
2018-19    [L]  Bolton               30    1    4    0    0
2019-20    [L]  Oldham               39    4    4    1    0
2020-22         Middlesbrough        29    0    4    0    0
2022-24         Coventry             89    4    19   4    1
2024-29         Rotherham            200   3    37   12   0
2029-31         Coventry             100   2    27   3    0
2031-32         Burton               46    0    5    1    0
2032-33         Carlisle             39    1    10   0    0
2033-35         Chelmsford           49    0    3    2    0
2035-37         Bognor Regis         79    1    12   2    0
[color="#FF0000"][b]TOTAL                                795   18   130  29   1[/b][/color]