Non-League and Academy football writer

I thought that I’d write a short piece on some of the finest goalscorers to have ever graced the Middlesex County Football League, and their best seasons in front of goal. Their goalscoring stats speak volumes about how clinical they were/are in front of goal, and below are five players, who are among the very best to have graced this fine league over the years.

Ashley Flanore (AFC Wembley): Ashley Flanore was still playing in the Middlesex League as recently as last season (2024/25) for Premier Division side Kensington Dragons. However, in the 2012/13 season Ashley scored a very impressive 56 goals, from 26 competitive appearances (in all competitions), for then Division East & Central side AFC Wembley. In outstanding form for an AFC Wembley side who only narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier Division at the end of that season, it was an excellent season for Ashley Flanore.

Marcus Gibbs-Greenidge (LPOSSA FC): LPOSSA, a club who came very close to winning promotion from the Premier Division of the Middlesex League, had some really good players during their time in the league. Forward Marcus Gibbs-Greenidge was a very good player and finisher for LPOSSA, and he would later go on to play his football higher up the non-League pyramid, for clubs such as Broadfields United. However, Marcus would have one of his finest seasons in front of goal for LPOSSA, during 2015/16, when he scored 57 goals in 36 games (in all competitions) for the club who for a long time used to play at The LPOSSA Club.

Bilal Butt (FC Assyria): Bilal Butt is a superb footballer, both in front of goal and technically, with him being very gifted with the ball at his feet. Bilal Butt is a player who used to be at Brentford, in their academy set-up. However, he would for many years play at a really good standard of non-League football, for a number of clubs. In the Premier Division of the Middlesex League however, the forward was also excellent in front of goal.

Bilal’s most recent season in the Premier Division of the Middlesex League was in 2023/24, when he helped Pitshanger Dynamo to win the Premier Division title, by scoring a remarkable amount of goals (48 in all competitions). However, Bilal’s best season in front of goal, in the Middlesex League, came in the 2016/17 season with FC Assyria. During that particular season, Bilal scored 64 goals from 32 competitive appearances, in all competitions.

Adrian Barrance (Signcraft FC): Playing for former Middlesex League side Signcraft, Adrian Barrance had an outstanding season for them, back in the 2006/07 season. Adrian’s total of 69 goals from 35 appearances in both league and cup competitions, is right up there with the very best individual seasons in this league’s history.

Matthew Woods (Stedfast United): Without doubt one of the greatest players to have ever played in the Middlesex League, Matthew Woods’ goalscoring record in this league, is beyond outstanding. Playing for former Middlesex League club Stedfast United, Matthew Woods (in 2007/08) scored 95 goals from just 28 competitive appearances for that season’s Division Three Hounslow & District title champions. And yet although Matthew Woods (he once scored 11 goals in a Middlesex League game!) didn’t quite score as many goals in an individual season again, he came very close. Such a consistent player, he went on to score 78 goals in all competitions during the 2009/10 season.