END OF AN ERA FOR EMMO

EVERGREEN Keith Emmerson accepts it’s finally time to hang up his trusted boots after 24 years and more than 1,000 Non-League games – and even making it onto Football Manager!

- Ben Smith

The 40-year-old is calling time on a glittering Non-League career when he leads out Dorchester Town against Hendon on Saturday.

A Physical Training Instructor with the Army by day, Emmerson has graced a whole host of clubs in the south, from Step 2 to Step 5, while also captaining the British Army Representative XI.

And the versatile defender/ midfielder says he will walk away bursting with pride and is already looking forward to spending more time with his young family.

“I’ve got a busy job within the military anyway, and as my kids get older, I want to spend more time with them,” Emmerson told The NLP.

“I’ve got a nine-year-old and a four-year-old, and my nine-year-old plays [football] on a Saturday.

“I’m missing that, and I want that extra, precious time with my family.”