MY STARS OF DECADE!

ADAM VIRGO’S XI FROM 10 YEARS OF WATCHING THE NATIONAL LEAGUE

I’VE BEEN covering the National League as a pundit since 2013 – in that time I’ve seen great teams, incredible moments and fantastic players.

To mark my tenth full season of being privileged to have a front row seat watching the division, I’ve come up with my Team of the Decade.

A self-imposed rule for a player to be eligible: they have to have played two full seasons at Step 1 while I’ve been watching.

That immediately rules out the likes of Andre Gray – he won the title with Luton in my first full season – and Macaulay Langstaff, who had one goal-laden season as Notts County won promotion through the play-offs.

Still, this team selection has given me plenty of headaches and tough choices to make...

GOALKEEPER James McKeown

A Grimsby Town legend. Two promotions, FA Trophy finals and, for many seasons, I felt he was the best keeper in the National League. He was so important to the Mariners and so consistent.

FC Halifax Town’s Sam Johnson has an incredible clean sheet record over a long period of time and could have easily been picked here but I’ve gone for James.

RIGHT-BACK Kane Smith

Kane has made my team of the season on more than one occasion. We probably would have seen less of him had he not got injured in Boreham Wood’s play-off eliminator game against AFC Fylde a few years ago, because he would have gone on to the Football League sooner.

Not lightning quick but can get around the pitch, gets forward well and is good in one-on-one situations. He gave Boreham Wood great balance and you could see the difference it made to their play when he did move on to Stevenage.

A tough choice as I loved watching Andy Yiadom at Barnet too, but Kane gets the nod.

CENTRE-BACK Steve McNulty

An automatic pick. When I first saw him at Luton, no disrespect, I thought he would be torn apart by the opposition. That was not the case.

He read the game brilliantly and rarely put himself in the situation to be exposed. The only time that possibly happened was on the big pitch at Wembley when Tranmere lost to Forest Green. But a year later, on the same turf, he was brilliant as they beat Boreham Wood.

He would captain my side all day long. A real leader. Being captain of big clubs like Tranmere is not easy. He’d won promotion with Fleetwood before my time and went up with Luton and Tranmere. Exceptional defender.

CENTRE-BACK Liam Hogan

Salford City signed him to be a leader as they chased promotion to the Football League. Much like the reasons he was brought in at Stockport County. His promotion record speaks for itself.

Solid at Halifax and Gateshead and you can see why Oldham wanted him. Experience of the highest quality.

LEFT-BACK Zaine Francis-Angol

This has been the hardest position for me to pick. Sam Habergham, David Ferguson, Mark Kitching all came under consideration – I’ve gone for Zaine on the basis of his impact for Fylde and how important he was for their side. A great out-ball, a lot of their attack was built around him.

I don’t expect everyone to agree with this selection but his importance to Fylde gets him the berth.

MIDFIELD Danny Whitaker

Football intelligence, read the game well, saw a pass no one else would – he made the game look easy.

The fact he was in his late 30s when he captained Macclesfield Town into the Football League only added to the respect for him. That’s a remarkable thing to do mentally and physically.

MIDFIELD Craig Eastmond

A player I’ve enjoyed watching the most. Connor Jennings just misses out and there are so many other names I considered – but I’ve gone for someone who really plays the game the way I like it to be played.

So important for Sutton United and was captain the season they won the title when his performances were excellent. Always played well and led by example. A really good footballer.

MIDFIELD John Rooney

Almost every time we covered a game with John, we’d pick him out as a dangerman.

He’s always been really good when we’ve watched him and made something

happen in the game. Barrow’s title win in the infamous curtailed covid season will always be memorable.

His goals and contribution was absolutely key to that.

FORWARD Paul Mullin

Out of everybody I’ve watched over the last ten years, there isn’t a player who has had to deal with as much individual pressure as Mullin has. Wrexham’s story is well-known – a club that went from being saved from going out of business by its fans to the arrival of two actors from Hollywood that sent them to the stratosphere. Mullin was signed for one reason: to get them promoted asap.

He dealt with that pres- sure incredibly and delivered. He has handled it all really well. The goals he scored, the impact he had make him a must-pick.

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney brought lots of interest. But Mullin really carried Wrexham.

FORWARD Michael Cheek

I feel for Paul McCallum as he was a strong consideration here too but it would be criminal to leave Michael Cheek out.

To be top scorer at his club for eight consecutive seasons – at different clubs – is testament to him.

I even picked him in my team of the season when he was at Braintree and they were relegated.

The longevity to consistently score every year is so impressive.

He’s not blessed with pace so he has to be in the right place at the right time in the 18-yard box and more often than not he is.

A huge part of Bromley’s recent success – including lifting the FA Trophy – and why they are knocking on the door of the Football League.

FORWARD James Norwood

When you think about forwards playing on the shoulder and using their pace to go in behind, I’d argue he’s up there as one of the best.

In the seasons I’ve watched him he has always hit double figures.

When he was at Forest Green Rovers he was a cut above in terms of finishing and allround play.

He got Tranmere promoted with the winner in the Promotion Final at Wembley and then helped them into League One before going on to Ipswich and Barnsley.

He’s back in the National League with Oldham this season and, in a disjointed side, still scored 17 goals.

MANAGER Dave Challinor

Since covering the league I’ve seen Dave Challinor’s

Fylde reach the Promotion Final before lifting the

FA Trophy, his Hartlepool United win the play-offs and his Stockport

County win the title. A brilliant Non-League treble.

A fantastic manager, who really trusts his players.

MATCH OF THE DECADE National League play-off semi-final 2022: Wrexham 4 Grimsby Town 5

The craziest game of football I’ve ever watched. You thought Wrexham were out of it, then that Grimsby had lost it before their comeback. The waves of emotion were remarkable. The quality of goals was fantastic, it was exciting – and mad!

CRAZIEST MOMENT: Torquay United goalkeeper Lucas Covolan scoring a header to send the Promotion Final against Hartlepool United in 2021 into extra-time.

My colleague Adam Summerton watched it back in the car park after the game.

He said: ‘What is that noise in the background?’ It was me screaming! I couldn’t believe what I’d seen. An incredible moment.