In April the club annouced that the First Team would fold and would not complete the season. The fall-out from this was that the Reserves would become the First (or only) Team for 2023/2024. This signalled the end of a ten-year run for the Reserves, during which the Reserves played 215 matches, won 76 and drew 26 and they scored 521 goals.
Five players played over 100 times, Daryl Francis, George Godbold, Dean Harris, Chris Jones, and Jez Vince. A further four played over 90 times, Max Pryke, Byron Stretton, Josh Bolton, and Miles Berry. Sam Reach played the most times without scoring (65) but he is a goalkeeper so we let him off, As an outfielder Charlie Francis and Lee Johnson (43) hold the most outfield appearances without a goal. The website keeps track of every minute played for Playford and the shortest Reserve Team ‘career’ belongs to club founder Simon Goldsmith, all fifteen minutes of it.
Whilst I have been looking back over the history of the Reserves one name keeps jumping out, and although they were created to keep me playing, and they did just that, 101 more games, thank you very much, they are really all about another person.
Daryl came to those pre-season training session and played in the very first game. He scored the Reserves’ very first goal. He has played the most games, 149. Scored the most goals, 58. Managed the team to a division win and a cup final, and sponsored the team through his business for a number of seasons. In the way that Playford is synonymous with Simon Goldsmith, the Reserves are with Daryl Francis.
Playford 2023 Wrapped
A run down of the year in graphics….
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