Yates made to wait for 500

He was set to celebrate the feat in the home game against Ashton United on March 17, before the coronavirus outbreak suspended the season.

Bit with records set to be expunged, he faces the prospect of going back to 469 appearances - how he started the 2019/20 season.

Yates told the club's official website: “When the Covid-19 situation arose, it was in the back of my mind that I might not make my 500th appearance.

“Peoples’ safety and lives are more important, I just wanted people to stay safe. That day will come at some point, as a club we wouldn’t want people coming when it’s not safe to do so and the league eventually cancelled the rest of the season.

“I wasn’t sure whether the appearances I made last year would count but it looks like appearances get expunged as well, it’s not ideal, it’s not great.

“Lads have scores some good goals so it’s hard to take but no-one expected the situation the world finds itself in at the moment.”

Last Thursday the Football Association ratified the decision taken by the Northern Premier, Southern and Isthmian Leagues to make the 2019/20 season null and void. Yates agrees with the ruling but has sympathy for clubs in the leading positions in the leagues affected.

“It could have been resolved in a number of ways and it must be terrible for the top clubs. I suppose we’ve had a bit of a reprieve although I think we’d have got out of it towards the end.

“It’s a very hard one but I believe the right decision’s been made.

“There was too many ifs and buts to make any other decision such as using the average points per game. We’d played only 28 games, some clubs had played thirty five or so, my gut feeling is that the decision’s the right one and that’s not because we’re near the bottom of the division.”

With players facing a longer than usual break from playing, they now face the dual problem of maintaining their fitness and staying safe as the Coronavirus continues to take its toll.

“Everyone’s trying to keep ticking over and with the restrictions in place it’s easier for some rather than others. I work from home a lot which is quite helpful but with the nursery closed I also have to keep my young daughter entertained.

“I’m managing okay though and we’ve been given training schedules and had bleep tests so we can be prepared whenever we return after this pandemic’s over.”