EDDIE’S SIMPLY FOUR-SOME!
DENTIST Eddie Simon has found another vocation in life to get his teeth into – as the deadliest striker in English football right now.
The 26-year-old made history for Isthmian South Central Walton & Hersham last weekend – and is drawing comparisons with some of the country’s top marksmen.
His hat-trick in the 3-1 win against Uxbridge was his fourth consecutive three-goal haul – the first time ever that anyone in England’s top eight divisions had achieved such a feat.
It took his total for the season to 36 and culminated in a 13th successive victory for the Swans as they chase a third successive promotion from the Combined Counties League at Step 6 to the heights of Step 3.
Incredibly, hotshot Simon, inset, says he wasn’t aware that he was in line to break an English record until a conversation at the bar afterwards with Swans’ co-owner Sartej Tucker.
“I had no idea it was a record, I found out after the game,” Simon told The NLP after his Uxbridge treble followed up those at Binfield, Chertsey Town and South Park. “Tej looked into it and it was later confirmed. I couldn’t believe it really The next thing I know the phone was going mad.
“The irony of it all was that it nearly didn’t happen at all. I did say to the bench to take me off as a precaution because I’ve been carrying a bit of a muscle injury and we’ve got a big game coming up on Saturday. I managed to stay on for a couple of extra minutes, a defender slipped, and I was able to capitalise.
“Now I know it was an English record, I’m happy I didn’t come off !”
Indeed, Simon’s impressive hat-trick haul has propelled him to celebrity status with national TV and radio crews all wanting a piece of English football’s latest record breaker, with comparisons being made him to the likes of Manchester City’s golden boy Erling Haaland.
Whirlwind
But the Non-League hitman, who played Step 7 football just two years ago before signing for Combined Counties Leaguers British Airways, says his newfound fame will not take any focus away from the main aim – winning promotion with his club.
“It’s been a whirlwind of a week. Quite surreal really. Seeing myself on Sky Sports News and listening to myself on talkSPORT, it’s a great feeling.
“It’s very strange to be playing in Non-League and Step 4 and being talked about in that kind of company.
“I could not have done this, however, without my teammates. We’ve won 13 games on the spin, we’re a very special, team.
“The style of play the management have created helps a lot too. A lot of my goals have been onetouch finishes inside the six-yard box. Everyone deserves so much credit, it’s a collective effort.”
So much so, that Simon insists there is no place he’s rather be.
“From the moment I stepped through the door, everyone at the club has been so good to me,” he added. “When I first met Scott [Harris, manager] he told me about the club falling back down into Step 6 in recent years – and now it’s certainly heading back in the right direction.
“I have a very strong bond with everyone here, it would take a pretty spectacular offer to lure me away.”