Most players will never make it to 600 games played in their career.
However, aged 32, Cheltenham Town midfielder Liam Sercombe walked onto the field at The Valley to make his 600th career appearance as the Robins defeated Charlton Athletic in the capital.
“To mark my 600th game with a win is massive. To come to a place like this, everyone knows it is a massive club. Everyone thinks they should probably be higher up in the league, but we’ve come here and created the better chances,” said Sercombe following the game on Friday.
Currently, with Cheltenham, Sercombe started his career with Exeter City all the way back in 2007 having come through the youth ranks with the Grecians.
The then 17-year-old was thrown in at the deep end with Exeter, having to make his debut against Altrincham after Andy Taylor had to go off injured after just 11 minutes.
Sercombe made just seven appearances that season, helping his side to promotion to League Two as they beat Cambridge United in the play-off final at Wembley.
Regular first-team action would come for Sercombe in League Two, even grabbing his first professional goal that season, scoring in a 3-1 win over Port Vale in October 2008.
In 2015, the midfielder secured a move away from Exeter, signing with Oxford United.
“We would have loved to have kept him, but he is entitled to do that and he has given so much effort and had so many good games and scored so many good goals, and there comes a moment when you have to part company,” then Exeter manager Paul Tisdale told the club website.
Sercombe thrived in his first season at Oxford, getting his best career total goal tally, grabbing 17 goals from midfield in the 2015/16 season, helping the club gain promotion to League One.
While with the U’s, the midfielder appeared in the Football League Trophy Final on two occasions, losing both games at Wembley, however, he did score Oxford’s only goal of the game as they lost 2-1 to Coventry City in 2017.
After two years and 75 League appearances with Oxford, Sercombe departed for Bristol Rovers, signing for the Gas for a fee that was reported to be around £150,000.
He came off the bench for Rovers on the opening day of the season as they were defeated by Charlton Athletic.
Sercombe made a big impact while at Bristol, becoming a fan favourite during his three-year spell with the club.
The midfielder was eventually released by Bristol aged 29, having spent three years with the side.
“I would like to thank everyone at Bristol Rovers for my three years there, all staff and all players were a pleasure to work with and I’ve again learnt from each of them,” said Sercombe on social media following his departure.
Looking for a new challenge, Sercombe was approached by Cheltenham Town in the summer of 2020, as they looked to push for promotion under club legend Michael Duff.
“We want to go for a promotion push this season. It’s a club that can go to League One and that’s what I’m aiming for. When I came and met the manager that’s what he wants as well,” Sercombe told the club website after signing.
And promotion would come sooner rather than later, as Sercombe helped the club in their charge to the title in the 2020/21 season, helping them lift the trophy behind closed doors.
In the season that followed, Cheltenham achieved their highest-ever league finish as they came fifteenth place in Sky Bet League One.
The Robins are currently sat in fourteenth in League One, with Sercombe having played in every game he was available for this season.
The Englishman made his 100th appearance for the Robins in a recent game against Bristol Rovers, his former club.
“It’s massive, I like to make as many appearances as I can for every club, I’m at. I’ve only been at four clubs and at Cheltenham now, I’ve made over 100 everywhere else I’ve been. To get to 100 as well shows that you’re doing the right things and you’re playing well enough to get on the pitch every week,” he said speaking to Park Life Sport.
Robin’s fans will be hoping that he will stay around for a few more years yet, with the midfielder proving to be a key cog in the centre of the pitch for Cheltenham.
The midfielder has been held in high regard at every club he has been at, showing the professionalism that is required to make it at the top level.
“I think that comes with how hard I work at each club, I’ve never sacked it off and always work as hard as I can and I think fans like that,” he revealed.
Now into his thirties, Sercombe has no plans of slowing down in his football career with no intentions of stopping playing anytime soon.
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“I’m only 32 and I feel as fit as I ever have. I do everything right, so I don’t see why I can’t have many more. I love the game and I hope people can see that.”
