POPULAR North Albury captain David Miles will play his 100th match on Saturday – a decade after debuting for the Hoppers.
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With the 30-year-old being plagued by injuries throughout his career at Bunton Park, the midfielder admitted it was a day he thought may never come.
“I’ve certainly had a few doubts along the way,” Miles said.
“With the knee tendinitis a few years ago, I thought I may have to find something else to do.
“I was a bit over it.
“I’m really glad I stuck at it now, especially with the club going OK after rebuilding.”
Miles’ debut was that long ago the Trinity Anglican College teacher isn’t certain if it was against Wodonga or Wangaratta.
While knee tendinitis saw him sidelined for the best part of two years, he has also had to contend with a broken leg and hand and three broken noses.
With the knee tendinitis a few years ago, I thought I may have to find something else
- David Miles
“I remember being first emergency for the 2007 grand final and then I got a game the next year,” he said.
“It was a while ago.
“To play 100 means a lot because it’s such a great club with so many loyal supporters.
‘I’ve made a lot of life-long friends along the way.
“My dad and grandfather played for North Albury and my great-grandfather was involved as a team manager as well.”
Miles and his father, Gerry, will become only the second father-and-son combination to play 100 matches for North Albury when the skipper runs out against Wodonga Raiders this weekend.
Gerry finished with 108 games.
Arthur (209) and Rob (105) Pickett have also brought up the milestone.
Miles’ first senior coach was Travis Hodgson, followed by Bob Craig, Jason Akermanis, Daniel Leslie, Clinton Gilson and Chris Schmidt.
Miles, who was appointed club captain in 2015, rates Wangaratta Morris medallist Jon McCormick as his toughest opponent.
“He was a great player,” Miles said.
“I remember Kane Godde tagging him one day and he had 15 touches and four goals in the first quarter.
“There has certainly been some tough ones over the years.
“I think two of my first games were tagging Jamie Allan and Jarrod Twitt.
“It’s been great playing alongside Dan Leslie throughout my career though.”
Gilson described Miles as one of the most respected players he had come across during his time in the Ovens and Murray.
“He’s been enormous for the footy club,” Gilson said.
“Even though he’s been through a lot of injuries, ‘Milesy’ has stuck with the club through the good and tough times.
“Nobody is more deserving than him in reaching 100 games.
“He has a crack week-in week-out for the club.”
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