Calvin Smith makes it 600 games not out at Consett
Veteran midfielder Calvin Smith reached a significant landmark when he came on as a substitute in Consett’s game against Stocksbridge Park Steels this week.
The 39-year-old, in his 14th season with the County Durham club, reached his 600th appearance on Tuesday night.
And he’s not done yet, with manager Jason Miller saying after the game: “He’s had a fantastic career at the club, and there’s still more left in him. He’s got a big part to play for us.
“His record speaks for itself. For someone to have that many appearances for a club deserves a lot of credit.”
Calvin was at Sunderland as a youngster, and made his senior bow for Dunston, before spells at Blyth Spartans and Durham City.
He was a Northern League winner with Spennymoor Town in 2012, but joined Consett for the 2012/13 season, and has been there ever since, apart from a season away in 2016/17.
A midfield playmaker with a great range of passing, he scored 26 goals in 208 games over four seasons in his first spell, including some superb long-range strikes, before following his big mate Michael Mackay to Jarrow Roofing.
He returned to Consett in summer 2017 and has been a stalwart of their side ever since, rarely missing a game through injury.
A Durham Challenge Cup winner with the Steelmen in 2018, he was joint-player of the year in 2019 and won the award outright last season.
The 2019/20 campaign saw him score 18 goals – his best-ever seasonal tally. An ever-present in the club’s FA Vase run that season, he scored twice in extra time in the 6th Round at Atherstone and got the goal in the semi-final against Bitton, which took them to Wembley.
His long career has also seen him turn out at right-back and centre-back as well as midfield, and he was Players’ Player of the Year in 2023/24.
Calvin is now second in Consett’s all-time appearance list, with club legend Jeff Sugden’s verified record of 636 (the actual figure might be as high as 639) in his sights.