Basingstoke Town goalkeeper Paul Strudley has announced his retirement from football at the end of this season.
The 41-year-old joined the ‘Stoke in 2020 having previously played for Hungerford Town, Hartley Wintney, Reading Town, AFC Wallingford and Reading FC. During his time with Hungerford he helped the ‘Crusaders’ climb to the Conference South. Similarly, at Hartley Wintney he enjoyed successive promotions to the Southern Premier.
Strudley’s first senior debut was back in 1999 for Reading Town in the Combined Counties League.
During his time at Basingstoke Town, Strudley, has collected a huge list of honours which include 2021/22 Supporters Away Player of the Season, North Hants Senior Cup Finalist and Winner, Isthmian South Central Championship and Hampshire Senior Cup Winner.
Paul’s calming presence made a huge impact upon his arrival. He quickly became a fans favourite with his ability to organise, his brilliant communication and saving the seemingly impossible.
We caught up with Paul following his decision who had this to say:
“Wow, 25 seasons, where did that time go! I feel extremely lucky that my body and my family have allowed me to play for such an extended period and I have also been fortunate to make many many friends along the way.
Big thank you to all the centre half’s that have protected me over the years and to the centre forwards making my goal kicks look good; thankfully you can now stand on the opposite side of the half way line. 😂
The last 3 years have certainly been a rollercoaster – I am proud to have played a part in getting Basingstoke back on an upward trajectory and hopefully giving the incredible and loyal fan base something positive to shout about. There is no doubt the support connected to this club is unrivalled.
Finally a massive thank you to everyone connected to Basingstoke for making me and my family feel special over the last couple of years, certainly the 22nd April 2023 is a date that I don’t think anyone will ever forget. #0 more years.”
There is no doubt that Paul’s contribution to local football has been outstanding. We’re sure that fans will have their own stand out moments – perhaps the penalty save at Tooting & Mitcham in our treble winning season. The unbelievable last minute save versus Beaconsfield or maybe that finger tip save versus Didcot earlier this season.
“I adore Struds.” said Dan Brownlie “He is quite simply everything you want in a player. He’s honest, reliable, hard working and a brilliant team mate. Simply put, if you show me a person who has a bad word to say about Struds, you’ve shown me a liar or an idiot.”
“A career spanning 20+ years at this level is no easy thing; in fact, it’s largely unheard of. But far more impressive than his longevity, is the impact he’s had. He’s made a huge difference in every team he’s been in. You only have to look at the list of honours next to his name to see that. We’ve been really lucky to have him, there’s no doubt about that.“
“From a Manager’s perspective, he is so much more than what you see on the pitch. There’s been a few games, especially in the treble winning year, where at half time the changing room can be quite lively. Lads competing for air time in a bid to rectify whats going on the pitch and it can get quite raucous. Struds will walk in behind everyone and calmly say “It’s fine lads, just keep going”. In that moment, everyone’s shoulders relax. Not only has he lived it, so there is a great deal of trust – but there is also a huge respect for who he is and what he represents.”
“A treble winner. A Champion. An outstanding goalkeeper and a brilliant brilliant man.”
Thanks for the memories, Struds. Your name will be woven into the fabric of our history with your achievements with us, and more widely – a lasting legacy within the local non-league community.
There will be another article in tomorrow’s match-day programme when we face Dorchester Town in our final home game of the season.