One of Pembrokeshire football's longest serving players, Mark Brindley of Saundersfoot Sports, has decided to hang-up his boots, having completed over 30 years service for the club.

Mark started his career in the 1974/75 season following a move back to the area from the Midlands.

His brother, Alan, had been instrumental in setting up New Hedges AFC in 1971."I remember the changing facilities at the Village Hall as being really primitive by today's standards" says Mark.

"Two tin baths were brought in at the end of the game and there was always a scrum to be first in".

As the season went on Mark established himself in the first team and played in the Division Two Cup final against Milford United. Hedges won 2-1 and a week later were promoted as runners-up.

However, the team struggled in the Division One as new young players came through. They were relegated and by Christmas were near the bottom of the Division Two.

A new manager, Jock Fleming, was appointed and the team stormed to promotion, remaining unbeaten to the end of the season.

The following year New Hedges merged with Saundersfoot Sports club to become New Hedges/Saundersfoot.

The club now had some outstanding young talent with players such as Gary MacNeilly, Richard Eastlake, Viv John, and Spider Webb improving with every game.

The experience of Alan and Mark Brindley, and ex-pro Mark Gray was augmented when another ex-professional, John Stenson, joined the side.

In 1984/85 Mark won a Senior Cup winner's medal when New Hedges/Saundersfoot beat Johnson 2-0. The following season, they carried all before them, finishing as Division One champions.

"That was the best side I've played in" says Mark. "We defended when we had to, then hit sides on the break.

'We had two good wingers in Phil Nicholls and Dai Cope but also had that bit of steel that all champions need. People thought of us as a 'playboy' side but we did know how to look after ourselves.

During the next few seasons Mark won a Division Two championship medal and helped the newly formed third team to establish itself.

The Pembrokeshire League had expanded to five divisions and within three years Saundersfoot had teams in the top end of Divisions One, Two and Three.

Mark played his final season in the Saundersfoot second team in Reserve Division One. His decision to retire at the end of this season was hastened by an injury, requiring 10 stitches to a nasty leg wound.

"I've just celebrated my 50th birthday and my new job takes up a lot of my time, so at the weekends I want to spend a bit more time with my family," says Mark.

"I've loved every minute of it and count myself really lucky to have played for so long and to have made so many friends on and off the pitch."