FIFTEEN years after he played his first game in non-league football, Dan Trenkel is still going strong.

The statistics make impressive reading – 165 goals in 589 starts, four league and cup championships (two as player-manager) and a goals per game ratio of one in less of every four games makes Trenkel a household name in south Essex non-league circles.

Not quite as fresh-faced as the 17-year-old who made his debut on April 4, 2001, Trenkel, now 32, is going from strength to strength in the game, winning a host of admirers and, more importantly trophies.

Now at Bowers & Pitsea, Saturday’s 3-2 victory against Flackwell Heath in the FA Trophy marked Trenkel’s 650th appearance in all competitions – having previously played for Chelmsford City, Burnham Ramblers, Concord Rangers, Redbridge and of course Great Wakering Rovers.

And the versatile Trenkel says he is proud to have reached such a landmark, although he is now focusing on clocking up another hundred appearances and helping Bowers to the Essex Senior League title and beyond.

Although he does have fond memories of where it all began.

“I remember my first appearance well,” he said. “It was for Great Wakering against Basildon United in the Essex Thames-side Trophy on April, 4 2001.

“Back then, although it may be hard to believe, I was very skinny and very athletic. I was always a central midfielder but my first few outings for the first team were on the left or right of midfield as the central midfielders at the time, Danny Scopes and Adam French, were unbelievably good.

“Eddie Nash gave me an opportunity and I’d like to think I grabbed it with both hands and never looked back.

“I have certainly adapted my game over the years,” he added.

“I was always a Frank Lampard-type midfielder in my early days. I’d play it short and time my runs into the box, and as the years (and my weight) increased I started to become a target man up front and then a midfield enforcer, holding station and letting people like Nicky Cowley make those lung-bursting third man runs.

“I never thought I’d become a centre back but I can read the game quite well and when I spoke to my old gaffer Iain O’Connell last season he advised me to play there and as usual he was right! There are a lot of facets to my game that have disappeared or changed over the years but one thing that will never disappear is my hunger and will to win when I cross the white line.”

Trenkel joined Bowers at the end of October, bringing to an end almost a four-year spell in charge of Great Wakering. He resigned after a run of poor form last month, before joining Rob Small’s Bowers who are among the favourites to go up this year.

And Trenkel said he was enjoying his managerial sabbatical, admitting he didn’t think he could enjoy football as much as he is at the moment after leaving Rovers.

“Playing and managing has it slight differences,” he said. “The way I go about the game is the same, in terms of me being on the pitch trying to help our other 10 players with their games in any small way I can. But I can be a lot calmer now and not have the added worry a manager does about the result.

“As a manager if we had a bad result I would be unbearable for days after, poring over the reasons why.

“As a player you can still analyse performances but generally an hour or so after the game you can start to think about more important things in life like your wife and kids! I have put her through so many Saturdays of me being grumpy so hopefully she can get a different me at the weekends now.

“I didn’t think I’d enjoy football again as much as I have in the last few weeks. The atmosphere at Bowers is incredible and they do everything professionally. The club backs Rob 100 per cent and try to help him in any way they can.

“Rob is the hardest working manager I’ve seen since being around (current Braintree Town manager) Danny Cowley. He does everything and more for his players. Rob was at the club with his assistant Harry (Stevens) at 12pm on Saturday clearing water off the pitch.

“To top it off the players have been superb with me. I feel like I’ve played with them for years. They’ve given me respect for what I’ve done before and they are all willing to listen and learn, and in non-league that’s half the battle. They are a superb bunch of lads and have genuinely given me my love for the game back.

“But now I am here, getting to 700 or 750 would be magnificent. Mind you nothing is ever certain in football so I’m just going to reflect on 650 and realise that is a massive achievement.”

 

TRENKS' STATS

Previous clubs: Chelmsford City, Burnham Ramblers, Concord Rangers, Redbridge, Great Wakering Rovers

Appearances: 650 (most Great Wakering Rovers 442)

Goals: 165 (most Great Wakering Rovers 122)

Honours: Concord Rangers: Gordon Brasted Memorial Trophy winners (2007/08), Essex Senior League champions (2007/08), players’ player of the year (2007/08) Great Wakering: Essex Senior League champions (2013/14), Essex Senior League Cup winners (2013/14), Ryman One North manager of the month December 2014, 3x players’ player of the year, 2x supporters player of the year.