Nigel Chapman

An extraordinary footballer in Spalding and District Sunday League has made his 959th – and possibly final – appearance.

In an astonishing display of dedication, fitness and loyalty, 65-year-old Paul Rudkin has been playing for Jubilee FC since its fourth-ever match back in 1977.

He’s been either secretary or manager of the Spalding club for all but a handful of those games.

It’s possible there’s one last appearance for Paul – he’s pondering on whether to name himself in the squad for the Mont Pell Trophy final against South Holland United on April 16.

Either way, he has taken the decision to fold the club after that match.

Paul had hoped to make it to 1,000 appearances and that looked very possible after making it to 900 in October 2018.

“But along came Covid,” he said. “That and also the Sunday League only has seven teams this season – there were four divisions and 52 teams when I started!

“Maybe if there had been 12 or so teams for the past couple of seasons I might’ve managed it.

“It’s disappointing but I’ve been very lucky and enjoyed every minute of it.”

Even when a doctor said a simultaneous groin strain and pulled calf muscle probably ought to signal the end of his playing days after 500+ appearances, there was more to come.

“I’d been out for a while and was watching a game at West Pinchbeck. The ball flew out of play and I trapped it,” Paul said.

“I thought ‘well, that didn’t hurt.’ So I managed to cram in another 20 years!”

Paul, of Gosberton Risegate, is actually a lot nearer to 1,000 league and cup appearances but nobody knows just how close. He played about 20 matches for Still Vaults before joining bottom-of-the-league Jubilee just after the club was formed in Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee year.

Getting changed in a glasshouse at Pick’s Farm, Deeping St Nicholas, ahead of that first game – a 5-0 defeat to Littleworth Reserves – Paul couldn’t have imagined the incredible feat which lie ahead of him.

If indeed last weekend’s match does turn out to be his last appearance, it wasn’t how it was supposed to end – a 4-2 defeat to Gedney Hillbillies.

Paul’s notched 96 goals for Jubilee, even being joint leading goalscorer – with just two – until February this year.

Few players can say they were still turning out, let alone scoring, at 65.

He is Spalding Sunday League’s untouchable legend.

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A former Lincolnshire Police officer has made a first appearance in court over alleged sexual misconduct while on duty.

Shaun Wheeler, 56, is accused of two counts of abusing his powers for sexual purpose, involving two separate women.

Both misconduct in public office charges are indictable only and must be heard at a crown court.

The first offence relates to Wheeler engaging in sexual acts and inappropriate communications with a woman between July 12, 2017 and March 31, 2018.

During a five-minute hearing at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, October 6, it was indicated that a guilty plea would be entered to this matter.

The second charge alleges that he engaged in inappropriate, sexually-motivated communications with a woman between January 1, 2019 and January 31, 2019.

The court was told Wheeler, who resigned from Lincolnshire Police in 2019, would be pleading not guilty to this matter.

A pre-trial preparation hearing was fixed for Nottingham Crown Court on November 10, 2022.

Wheeler was granted unconditional bail to that date.

The two charges were brought after Lincolnshire Police made a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) in February 2019.

Following an investigation concluded in August 2020, the IOPC decided the matter should be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service.