Bradford-born winger Zeph Thomas, 36, has racked up an extraordinary 39 moves in 18 years across non-league football, with spells in the United States, Canada, Belgium and Scotland. The former St Kitts & Nevis international is now player-manager at ninth-tier Dearne & District, who play their first ever FA Cup match on Saturday against Runcorn Town. "We've gone from being in the Doncaster Saturday League in 2021 to playing in the FA Cup," Thomas says. "It's massive for the area."

Thomas' career began at Rotherham United under youth coach Mark Robins, but he was released in 2008 without a senior appearance. "I was a bit petulant and naive back then," he admits. After his full-time dreams ended, he embarked on a nomadic journey featuring five spells at Rossington Main, four at Mickleover Sports and three at Frickley Athletic. In 2013-14 alone he played for five different clubs. At Stocksbridge Park Steels he faced Jamie Vardy, then at Halifax Town, before Vardy's Premier League triumph with Leicester City.

A groin injury in 2013 nearly ended his career; Thomas worked in a Rotherham call centre and considered joining the army before a lifeline at Thunder Bay Chill in Ontario. "I moved up or went sideways for more money," he reflects. "Playing in different countries was a great experience."

Now settled in Goldthorpe, near Barnsley, Thomas lives a five-minute walk from the ground with wife Marie and children Jerome, 11, and Lucia, 7. He combines his Dearne & District role with coaching Derby County's Under-12s. Though still registered to play, he prefers the dugout: "Sometimes I feel a bit of a hypocrite because I used to move clubs for extra money. Now I say to my players, 'keep on doing what you're doing because the money will come'."