AFC Totton
AFC TOTTON’S SCOTT RENDELL recently chalked up his 150th first team appearance for The Stags, and spoke about how much he is still enjoying his football journey with the club.
The Sunburnt Assassin – so-called because whenever he starts running around his face quickly goes bright red, irrespective of the weather – arrived at the Snows Stadium in the summer of 2022, as part of manager Jimmy Ball’s rebuilding of the squad he had inherited just a few months earlier.
With goalkeeper Lewis Noice having been named Manager’s Player of the Year for the 2021/22 campaign, the arrivals of central defenders Charlie Kennedy and Luke Hallett, central defensive midfielder and club captain Mike Carter, and Rendell to lead the line installed a new and vastly-improved spine upon which the rest of the team was built through subsequent arrivals and player development.
Now 38 years-old, the veteran centre-forward has too long a list of former clubs to cover in full here – see Wikipedia if you’d like to know – but the highlights of his professional career saw him spend three spells with Aldershot Town in and around successful seasons with the likes of Cambridge United, Torquay United, Wycombe Wanderers, Luton Town and Woking. He was with Eastleigh for the 2019/20 season, coming to AFC Totton via season-long stints with Maidstone United and Havant & Waterlooville.
His 36 goals fired The Stags to the Southern League Division One South title in 2022/23, and included the two he bagged against Sholing in that season’s Southampton Senior Cup final – one of those a trademark goal from the penalty spot. In the club’s first Step 3 campaign for over a decade, he kept up the good work by weighing in with another 34 goals, which included hat-tricks at Winchester City, Gloucester City in the FA Cup, and Bracknell Town, as well as another conversion from the spot when The Stags claimed their third successive Southampton Senior Cup title with a 4-1 win over Hythe & Dibden.
The arrivals of Tony Lee and Charlie Austin have resulted in Rendell often operating in a deeper role in the Totton formation, something he says he is used to having performed similar duties throughout his professional career, or having to come off the bench. However, 18 goals in all competitions in 2024/25 to date have more than played their part in guiding The Stags to their second successive set of Play-Offs and a possible promotion to Step 2 for the first time in the club’s entire 139-year history.
His most recent strike, when he stepped off the bench to score a late winner against a resolute Tiverton Town, was perhaps the quintessential Scott Rendell goal; intelligent positioning, calmness under pressure, and an assured finish into the bottom corner where the goalkeeper couldn’t reach it.
Scott Rendell receives a silver salver from Club President Mick Carter to honour his 150th first team appearance for AFC Totton, prior to the recent home game against Winchester City.
Speaking after the subsequent goalless draw at Basingstoke Town, the No.9 who was worn the captain’s armband from the kick-off on 20 occasions this season, said:
“A century-and-a-half of appearances for AFC Totton is a really nice milestone to reach. When the club originally approached me three years ago, I had some reservations about dropping to Step 4, as were then, but I definitely made the right decision. I don’t have any regrets, at all. I was promised we would be going on a football journey and that’s exactly what we’ve done – and we’re by no means finished, yet.
“My role in the team has changed to some extent, at least in some games. But if you look at my strike-rate, I think it’s still pretty consistent at one goal every three games, which is pretty good if I do say so myself, and long may it continue. I’m on 88 goals for the club, so far, and I’m signed on for at least another season, so if I can get enough games under my belt between now and this time next year, maybe I can hit that magic 100 goals mark, which would be a great way to underline how much I enjoy being an AFC Totton player.”
During the week, Scott is the Head Coach of the club’s Academy team, working closely with Head of Education Hannah Hood to develop young players from eager teenagers to viable first team squad members. Rendell has already had the slightly bizarre experience of being captained on the pitch by Owen Pelham, who was one of his class members earlier that same week:
“The club has come on great strides in a very short space of time, and I’ve been privileged to be a part of it and to witness it at all, first-hand. We’re doing good work in the Academy, and you only need to look at the success we’re enjoying at Under-23s level to see that there are some players of real quality and potential coming through.
“Not only that, but the educational side that Hannah leads is central to the lads’ participation in the programme, and we’ve managed to strike a really positive balance to ensure that all the students go about their academic work in the right way in order to earn the chance to show what they can do on the pitch.”
Stags boss Jimmy Ball commented:
“Scott Rendell has been absolute class since the first day he walked through the door. Everything he does sets a fabulous example to the younger players, and I couldn’t be happier with what he has achieved – and continues to achieve – for this football club. I often talk about having real men in the team who can stand-up in difficult moments, and Scotty is absolutely one of those I know I can always rely on. His ability, experience, composure under pressure – you name it, he’s got those positive qualities in spades. He’s an excellent professional and an integral part of AFC Totton.”
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Image courtesy of Harvey Gerring
