Accordingly he signed for Worksop Town in time for the start of the 1976-7 season from Dulwich Hamlet, the only player ever to join from that famous former Amateur club. In the Worksop Guardian sportswriter’s notes he is listed as “Ex Dagenham, Tooting etc, lazy but skillful” a bit harsh.
A very solid defender, he became a permanent fixture in the Worksop team of the day scoring his first goal for the club in the 3-0 F A Cup 2nd Qualifying Round victory over Buxton at Central Avenue. He scored again in the very next match, a 3-0 Northern Premier League away win at Gateshead United. In total he scored 5 goals that season while making no less than 50 appearances.
Paul was, unsurprisingly retained for the 1977/8 season and upped his goalscoring to 8, finding the net against Matlock, Morecambe, Macclesfield, Altrincham and Runcorn. He got three against Morecambe, one at home and two away as well as a “brace” at home to Runcorn. He was now over a 100 appearances adding 55 that season.
He was first on quite a short retained list for 1978/9, and once again increased his goal scoring tally up to 11. He scored 9 in Northern Premier League fixtures and also scored against Grantham in the F A Cup 3rd Qualifying Replay at London Road. Grantham had held Worksop to a 0-0 draw at Central Avenue but Worksop romped to a 3-0 replay win setting up a 4th Qualifying Round 1-0 win at Dudley Town and a 1st Round Proper visit to Barnsley. Worksop lost 5-1 at Oakwell watched by a 10,433 strong crowd. Paul’s other goal was at Buxton in a 2-1 League Cup victory. Another 55 appearance were added to Paul growing “Tigers” tally.
No guessing who was first on the retained list for 1979/80, Manager Ronnie Reid, himself a former Worksop player, had every confidence in his star defender. Once again Paul managed to increase his “goals scored”, this time up to 13.
Nine of those came in Northern Premier League matches and he also scored two in the 3-2 F A Cup 1st Qualifying Round win at Arnold FC and another in the next round’s 1-3 defeat at Alfreton Town. His other “Cup” goal was in the 3-0 Sheffield Senior Cup victory away at Sheffield Centralians. At 13 goals he was third top scorer behind “twin” strikers Paul Froggatt 22 and Paul Fisher 21, and managed another 49 appearances.
1980/1 was to be Paul’s last “full” season at Central Avenue with a further 51 games and goals scored in the F A Trophy home 1-2 defeat to Stourbridge, the 2-3 Sheffield Senior Cup away defeat at Swinton Athletic and in a 4-0 home League match v Witton Albion at the “Avenue” as well as the home “derby” game with Gainsborough Trinity.
The 1981/2 season, saw Worksop Town secure the first “honour” in this period but that was a Sheffield Senior Cup win because Frickley could not raise a side for a late season final by which time Paul had moved on.
He still made 22 recorded appearances as well as scoring a Northern Premier League goal at Netherfield. My notes at the time indicate that he joined Alfreton Town having made at least 282 appearances and scored at least 42 goals for Worksop. (At least..friendlies not included). Paul now lives in the Manchester area and made contact with the Worksop Town officials at the Radcliffe F A Trophy tie last week. He was certainly great club servant and a “Legend” at Central Avenue.