England - All-Time Most Matches Played in League

Players with 700+ appearances in FA Premier League and The Football League (all divisions).
(updated at the end of the 2012/13 season)


    Player             Games  Period     Clubs
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1. Peter SHILTON       1005  1966-1997  Leicester City (286), Stoke City (110), Nottingham Forest (202), 
                                         Southampton (188), Derby County (175), Plymouth Argyle (34), 
                                         Bolton Wanderers (1), Leyton Orient (9)

 2. Tony FORD            931  1975-2001  Grimsby Town (423), Sunderland (9), Stoke City (112),
                                         West Bromwich Albion (114), Bradford City (5), 
                                         Scunthorpe United (76), Mansfield Town (103), Rochdale (89)

 3. Graham ALEXANDER     833  1991-2012  Scunthorpe United (159), Luton Town (150), Preston North End (370),
                                         Burnley (154)

 4. Terry PAINE          824  1957-1977  Southampton (713), Hereford United (111)

 5. Tommy HUTCHISON      795  1968-1991  Blackpool (165), Coventry City (314), Manchester City (46),
                                         Burnley (92), Swansea City (178)

 6. Neil REDFEARN        790  1982-2004  Bolton Wanderers (35), Lincoln City (100), Doncaster Rovers (46),
                                         Crystal Palace (57), Watford (24), Oldham Athletic (62), 
                                         Barnsley (292), Charlton Athletic (30), Bradford City (17),
                                         Wigan Athletic (22), Halifax Town (42), Boston United (54),
                                         Rochdale (9)

 7. David JAMES          788  1990-2013  Watford (89), Liverpool (214), Aston Villa (67), West Ham United (91),
                                         Manchester City (93), Portsmouth (134), Bristol City (81),
                                         AFC Bournemouth (19)

 8. Robbie JAMES         782  1973-1993  Swansea City (484), Stoke City (48), Queens Park Rangers (87),
                                         Leicester City (23), Bradford City (89), Cardiff City (51)

 9. Alan OAKES           776  1959-1983  Manchester City (564), Chester City (211), Port Vale (1)

10. Dave BEASANT         773  1980-2003  Wimbledon (340), Newcastle United (20), Chelsea (133), 
                                         Grimsby Town (6), Wolverhampton Wanderers (4), Southampton (88), 
                                         Nottingham Forest (139), Portsmouth (27), Brighton & Hove Albion (16)

11. John TROLLOPE        770  1960-1980  Swindon Town (770)

12. Jimmy DICKINSON      764  1946-1967  Portsmouth (764)

13. Roy SPROSON          761  1950-1972  Port Vale (761)

13. Mick TAIT            761  1974-1997  Oxford United (64), Carlisle United (106), Hull City (33), 
                                         Portsmouth (241), Reading (99), Darlington (79), Hartlepool United (139)

15. Billy BONDS          758  1964-1988  Charlton Athletic (95), West Ham United (663)

15. Ray CLEMENCE         758  1965-1987  Scunthorpe United (48), Liverpool (470), Tottenham Hotspur (240)

17. Pat JENNINGS         757  1963-1985  Watford (48), Tottenham Hotspur (472), Arsenal (237)

17. Frank WORTHINGTON    757  1966-1988  Huddersfield Town (171), Leicester City (210), Bolton Wanderers (84),
                                         Birmingham City (75), Leeds United (32), Sunderland (19), 
                                         Southampton (34), Brighton & Hove Albion (31), Tranmere Rovers (59), 
                                         Preston North End (23), Stockport County (19)

19. Wayne ALLISON        752  1987-2008  Halifax Town (84), Watford (7), Bristol City (195), Swindon Town (101),
                                         Huddersfield Town (74), Tranmere Rovers (103), Sheffield United (73),
                                         Chesterfield (115)

20. Les CHAPMAN          747  1966-1988  Oldham Athletic (263), Huddersfield Town (134), Stockport County (70),
                                         Bradford City (139), Rochdale (88), Preston North End (53)

20. Ernie MOSS           747  1968-1988  Chesterfield (467), Peterborough United (35), Mansfield Town (57),
                                         Port Vale (74), Lincoln City (11), Doncaster Rovers (44),
                                         Stockport County (26), Scarborough (23), Rochdale (10)

22. Asa HARTFORD         744  1967-1991  West Bromwich Albion (214), Manchester City (260), Nottingham Forest (3),
                                         Everton (81), Norwich City (28), Bolton Wanderers (81),
                                         Stockport County (45), Oldham Athletic (7), Shrewsbury Town (25)

23. Alan BALL            743  1962-1983  Blackpool (146), Everton (208), Arsenal (177), Southampton (195),
                                         Bristol Rovers (17)

23. John HOLLINS         743  1964-1984  Chelsea (465), Queens Park Rangers (151), Arsenal (127)

23. Phil PARKES          743  1968-1990  Walsall (52), Queens Park Rangers (344), West Ham United (344),
                                         Ipswich Town (3)

26. Steve BRUCE          737  1979-1999  Gillingham (205), Norwich City (141), Manchester United (309),
                                         Birmingham City (72), Sheffield United (10)

27. Teddy SHERINGHAM     734  1984-2008  Millwall (220), Aldershot (5), Nottingham Forest (42), 
                                         Tottenham Hotspur (236), Manchester United (104), Portsmouth (32),
                                         West Ham United (76), Colchester United (19)

28. Mick MILLS           732  1966-1988  Ipswich Town (591), Southampton (103), Stoke City (38)

29. Ian CALLAGHAN        731  1960-1982  Liverpool (640), Swansea City (76), Crewe Alexandra (15)

29. David SEAMAN         731  1982-2004  Peterborough United (91), Birmingham City (75), 
                                         Queens Park Rangers (141), Arsenal (405), Manchester City (19)

31. Steve PERRYMAN       725  1969-1990  Tottenham Hotspur (655), Oxford United (17), Brentford (53)

32. Martin PETERS        722  1961-1981  West Ham United (302), Tottenham Hotspur (189), Norwich City (207),
                                         Sheffield United (24)

33. Mick CHANNON         718  1966-1986  Southampton (511), Manchester City (72), Newcastle United (4),
                                         Bristol Rovers (9), Norwich City (88), Portsmouth (34)

34. Ron HARRIS           716  1962-1984  Chelsea (655), Brentford (61)

34. Mike SUMMERBEE       716  1960-1980  Swindon Town (218), Manchester City (357), Burnley (51), 
                                         Blackpool (3), Stockport County (87)

36. Glenn COCKERILL      714  1976-1998  Lincoln City (186), Swindon Town (26), Sheffield United (62),
                                         Southampton (287), Leyton Orient (90), Fulham (40), Brentford (23)

37. Phil NEAL            706  1968-1989  Northampton Town (187), Liverpool (455), Bolton Wanderers (64)

38. Keith CURLE          705  1981-2003  Bristol Rovers (32), Torquay United (16), Bristol City (121),
                                         Reading (40), Wimbledon (93), Manchester City (171),
                                         Wolverhampton Wanderers (150), Sheffield United (57), Barnsley (11),
                                         Mansfield Town (14)

38. John WILE            705  1967-1986  Peterborough United (205), West Bromwich Albion (500)

40. Steve FLETCHER       704  1990-2013  Hartlepool United (32), AFC Bournemouth (628), Chesterfield (38),
                                         Plymouth Argyle (6)

41. Robert LEE           703  1984-2006  Charlton Athletic (298), Newcastle United (303), Derby County (48),
                                         West Ham United (16), Wycombe Wanderers (38)

41. Andy MELVILLE        703  1985-2005  Swansea City (175), Oxford United (135), Sunderland (204), 
                                         Bradford City (6), Fulham (153), West Ham United (17),
                                         Nottingham Forest (13)

43. Neville SOUTHALL     701  1980-2000  Bury (39), Everton (578), Port Vale (9), Southend United (9),
                                         Stoke City (12), Torquay United (53), Bradford City (1)

44. Mick GOODING         700  1979-1999  Rotherham United (258), Chesterfield (12), Peterborough United (47),
                                         Wolverhampton Wanderers (44), Reading (314), Southend United (25)

44. Stanley MATTHEWS     700* 1932-1965  Stoke City (321), Blackpool (379)


* includes three matches played in the war-abandoned 1939/40 season.



About this document

Prepared and maintained by Thomas Søfting for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Author: Thomas Søfting (thomsof@yahoo.com)
Last updated: 21 Nov 2013

(C) Copyright Thomas Søfting and RSSSF 2004/13
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the author. All rights reserved.