43-year-old Isle of Wight born footballer David Greening has announced his retirement from the beautiful game.
David began his career with Whitecroft and Barton Sports and has played over 100 games for Brading Town. He has also appeared for a number of other local clubs including Newport I.W. (59 games), East Cowes Vics (16 games) and Cowes Sports (14 games). He finished his career with Rosebud Soccer club in Victoria, Australia.
Over the course of David Greening’s phenomenal football career, he made 902 appearances at a senior level, scoring an incredible 1,088 goals, including 157 hat tricks.
David is also an accomplished athlete. This year, he competed in the National Masters Athletics Championships in Hobart, Australia, winning a silver medal in high jump and triple jump, along with bronze in 60m and 100m. After gaining citizenship earlier this year, he represented Australia at the Oceania Masters Athletics Championships in Suva, Fiji winning 7 medals, and hopes to represent them again at a Masters Worlds Athletics Championship in the coming years.
David Greening Greening emigrated to Australia 14 years ago. Outside of football and athletics, he works as a physical education teacher at Boneo Primary School in Victoria.
David has said of his retirement:
“After 26 seasons of playing senior football, I have decided to finally hang up the boots and officially announce my retirement.
“Having my son Alfie there for the final home league game of the season against my former club Seaford United and getting to walk out with him was very special, and something I will always treasure.
Article continues below this advertisement “That along with being part of a promotion and championship winning team again as well as winning another league golden boot, at the ripe old age of 43 has been truly amazing and seems a perfectly fitting way to go out.
“After making my senior debut in 1996 at 15 years old as a wee skinny nipper amongst men, I could not have envisaged the journey my football career would go on. Starting in the Isle of Wight leagues and finishing in the Victorian State leagues via Hampshire, Dorset, Cornwall and many other counties across the southern part of the UK, playing largely semi-professionally.
“To continue playing senior football until past my 43rd birthday is extremely satisfying and something I’m immensely proud of. There were many highs and one or two lows along the way but those that stand out the most were collectively… being part of many cup winning teams, promotion and championship winning teams and individually… representing the Isle of Wight at the Island Games, winning 25 club golden boots, 16 league golden boots and 4 league best and fairest awards.
“The 16th league Golden Boot (10th down under) this year is probably the most satisfying considering my age, and the fact I only started 10 league games during the season.
“They say stats don’t lie, and I’m the biggest believer in judging a striker by the amount of goals they score, so to finish with 1,088 goals in 902 appearances at senior level over a 26 year period is not to be sniffed at. Amongst those goals were 157 hat tricks.
“One day, I’m sure I’ll look back, reflect, and be extremely proud of what I’ve achieved in the game I have loved and adored playing, watching and following since I was 7 years old.
“I have been asked so many times recently if I think I will miss playing? Of course I will, I’ll miss it all, the nerves before games, the winning feeling, the feeling when I score a goal, the banter from the side lines and opposing crowds (all received in good spirit) and just being part of a team going out to do battle week in week out with my teammates. But I also know the time is right to do so.
“To finish with a promotion, championship and golden boot is the best possible way to go out, so I’ve no regrets, none whatsoever.”
Former Newport FC manager John Linington played tribute to the player he managed:
“He was just a natural goal scorer, for whoever he played for. Definitely not a hard working striker, but for me, he was a manager’s dream.
“We could have been hammered for 85 minutes, and the score could of been 0-0, and he would suddenly score 2 goals and we’d have a great win.
“He loved his football.”
