Jeff Sugden reached a magnificent milestone last weekend when he completed his 500th appearance for hometown club, Consett.

He completed his fifth century with a 2-2 home draw against Billingham Town and admitted to be very proud to have reached the landmark - 17 years after first pulling on a Consett shirt for a game at Newcastle Blue Star.

Consett secretary, Ian Hamilton, paid tribute to Sugden, saying: "Apart from being a great centre-half, he is a tremendous leader on the pitch, and a great ambassador for the club off it.

"He has been Club Player of the Year and Player's Player on several occasions and in season 1999-2000 was voted the Northern League Player of the Year, a tremendous accolade. I don't know what we'll do when he decides to retire."

Sugden says the highlight of his 500 games in a Consett shirt was reaching the first round proper of the FA Cup where the Steelmen were beaten at Mansfield in 1996.

But although reaching 500 games is no mean feat, Sugden admits the milestone would have come far sooner had he avoided some of the injuries he's suffered since making his Consett debut 17 years ago.

"Reaching 500 has been getting discussed since last season and it became a bit of a joke because of the serious injuries I've had over the last five years," said Sugden whose Steelmen debut was a 2-0 defeat.

He explained: "I got a collapsed lung against Alnwick at the beginning of our FA Cup run in 1996, I split my knee open against Guisborough when I landed on the stone slab in front of the dug-out which meant I had to have 13 stitches in an arc across my knee - that was a bad one.

"And I've dislocated my collarbone. Those three injuries happened in three consecutive seasons so I've missed a few games there.

"This season I needed to play about 18 or 19 game to reach the 500, but the rest of the lads were saying it would take me another three seasons to get it!"

Hamilton admits that Sugden has missed out on an even greater appearance record because of his injuries, but says that Consett's captain has bravely continued playing when others would have surrendered.

"He's been around a long time - he could have easily been up to 600 if it wasn't for all the injuries he's had. He's had some horrendous injuries since he started playing for us when he was 17.

"He's had injuries which would have stopped many from playing the game altogether but he's kept going and going.

"This is a tremendous achievement by Jeff, a local lad, who joined the club straight from junior football. He has been a great servant to the club and has remained loyal to his local team, through thick and thin.

"He's a Consett lad through and through. If you cut him in half you'd see Consett written right through him!"

To commemorate his achievement, Sugden was awarded with a crystal decanter by manager Colin Carr prior to Saturday's match (right) and, above, is pictured receiving the new Consett strip from Mrs Brown, owner of The Meridan pub, Middle Street, Consett who are the club's new kit sponsors.