A mainstay of the Rammy side through eight seasons after joining as a fresh-faced youth, “Whiz” looks back over his career at the club and his highs and lows.

Name: Phil Dean
Appearances: 310 (51 as sub)
Goals: 60
Yellow cards: 36
Red cards: 2
Seasons: 8 – 2009/10 to 2018/19

How did you come to join Ramsbottom United?
My dad’s mate was a fan. We went to watch a game against St. Helens Town in 2008/09, I think it was about 6-3 and I thought I could do well! And the end of the season when Bern and Jonno were announced as managers, they asked if people wanted to go down for trials so I got in touch that way.

Rammy highlight?
Loads! Winning the Counties, winning the Play-offs, beating Darlo away twice in the same season. It sounds daft but both me, my mum and my dad have made lifelong friends because of what happened at Rammy. I was also made captain for my 300th appearance for the club, that was really great.

Favourite game?
I think it was probably the FA Trophy game at Worksop Town in 2013. The game started off at a million miles an hour and we didn’t have a kick. But we were 3-0 before ten minutes, it was mad – Tom Brooks, Jon Robinson and Dom Smalley all scored and we went on to win 7-2. I also liked playing against Lancaster as well, we always seemed to batter them and played some of our best stuff against them.

Rammy lowlight?
It was a shame for it to end the way it did after my second spell with the club. I’d have found it harder to take if I wasn’t good enough but the manager obviously didn’t know anything about me when he played me in centre midfield for two games. He brought in some of his own players who didn’t care about the club or weren’t particularly decent. But that’s football.

Best player you played with?
It has got to be either Jordan (Hulme), Lee Gaskell, Danny Warrender or Gaz Stopforth. One of the players I loved playing with more than anyone was Pilky (Joel Pilkington) though. He could play in any position and was always solid. I learnt a lot from him.

Player to avoid on the pitch?
We had a few lads that could give you a bollocking like Danny Warrender and it made you concentrate a bit more – a bit of a rocket up your arse – but we had players like Andy Dawson who didn’t say much but when they did, you definitely took notice.

Funniest moment(s)?
Jesus, how long had you got!!! It is either any of the coach trips after a long away game, probably when we went to Newquay or just when Jonno used to abuse people in the changing room before the team talk (abuse as in take the p*** out of!!)