Horsham FC hero Gary Charman: My playing days are over but I have a future in football

Horsham’s record appearance holder played his final competitive match in March when a bumper crowd of 926 packed the Camping World Community Stadium to bid farewell to the hometown hero in the Hornets’ 3-2 league defeat against Brightlingsea Regent.

Charman, who was handed the captain’s armband, was given a thunderous applause when he departed the pitch for on 56 minutes.

He said: “I was very disappointed that I couldn’t end it in a win. It would have been brilliant, and after the first 20 minutes I thought it was going to be five or six to be honest.

“To be honest I was disappointed to be taken off when I was! I thought I was playing well. I wasn’t just a goal threat but I was linking up play.

“A part of me was disappointed but I can totally understand the decision. But that’s me in a nutshell. I loved the day and loved that loads of people turned up for my send off but I was disappointed to be taken off because I wanted to play.”

Charman played an integral role in Horsham’s famous run to the second round of the FA Cup in 2007-08.

The flying winger started six of the Hornets’ eight cup ties as they dumped out the likes of AFC Wimbledon, Chippenham Town and Maidenhead United to reach the second round for the first time.

What followed was a famous 1-1 draw with Roberto Martinez’s Swansea City, at a sodden Queen Street, in front of a crowd of 2,731 and the Sky Sports cameras.

The replay at the Liberty Stadium saw the Hornets lead 2-1 before the Swans won 6-2.

Charman said: "The run wasn’t the easiest. We had AFC Wimbledon and Maidenhead to get to the later rounds.

“The run is something that I will never, ever forget. I have the [Swansea] game on DVD and it’s something that I will always remember.”

Charman has suffered injury setbacks and a broken cheekbone, and extensive damage to his eye socket, left him needing a face mask for the rest of his career.

But his determination to bounce back from major setbacks is what Charman puts his longevity down to.

He said: “You’ve got to work harder. As you get older, you have to put more effort in because you haven’t got that drive from game to game of youth where you can play Tuesday and you can play Saturday.

“Overall, it’s just looking after yourself better and it’s the willingness to still want to do it. I’m retired now, and there’s still a part of me going ‘I could play’.

“I think I could still play another two or three years at this level. Maybe not at Horsham because there’s so much quality that’s come in now/

"I could be a part-time player like I was this year. I do think that there’s about 50 to 60 percent of the Isthmian Premier sides where I’d be a first XI starter.

“But I always wanted to finish my career at Horsham. That’s where it started and I was lucky enough to do so.”

And what does the future hold?

“I’m looking forward to a well-earned break! I want to spend a bit more time with my family and with my other half.

“I’ve done my coaching badges up to UEFA B, the only one I haven’t done is the A License. I’ve had some offers, but at the moment I’ve turned everything down.

“I will go back to it, because that’s me, but for the time being I’m going to see more of my family - and more of the golf course!”

READ THIS: Horsham legend Gary Charman: Testimonial match a chance for me to say thank you to the fans and Sussex football

Bognor means ‘a huge amount’ to Rocks hero Gary Charman

Horsham manager Dominic Di Paola pays tribute to club legend Gary Charman