Gap between League Appearances - Quiz Question

[Dutch Uncle]

If Billy Sharp gets on the pitch this Saturday it will be 3751 days since his last league appearance for us on 3 May 2014.

Only 5 players have had a longer gap between Football League/Conference appearances for us, can you name them:

1: 4879 days: Glyn Snodin 6 May 1985 to 15 September 1998
2: 4847 days: Ian Snodin 11 May 1985 to 18 August 1998
3: 4482 days: Russ Wilcox 6 May 1981 to 14 August 1993
4: 4117 days: Alan Warboys 10 May 1968 to 18 August 1979
5: 3993 days: Jim Dobbin 17 September 1986 to 23 August 1997

Note all gaps are calculated via a formula in excel which may have a small rounding. So the numbers might be 1 day out.

Answers filled in when given below

I think the next 7 on the list are:

Stuart Gray        31/Aug/70 to 27/Mar/78             2767 days
Jackie Kirkaldie  06/May/39 to 12/Oct/46              2715 days
Syd Bycroft        06/May/39 to 04/Sep/46             2676 days
Les Owens        06/May/39 to 04/Sep/46             2676 days
Bob McFarlane    06/May/39 to 31/Aug/46            2673 days
Chris Brown      08/May/04 to 13/Aug/11             2653 days
Alick Jeffrey       13/Oct/56 to 28/Dec/63               2633 days
 

Four of those of course played either side of WW2, I have not included the aborted/annulled 1939-40 season

Many thanks everyone and especially Hamilton who noticed my error with Jim Dobbin

[IDM]

Complete guess - Alick himself.??

[Silkscarf]

Ian Snodin?

[Dutch Uncle]

Complete guess - Alick himself.??

As long as I haven't missed anyone, far as I can work out he is 13th with 2633 days

[Dutch Uncle]

Ian Snodin?

Number 2
Will annotate OP as answers come in

[Lifelong supporter]

 Russ Wilcox

[Dutch Uncle]

 Russ Wilcox

Brilliant, I thought he and one other would be very difficult
Number 3

[Butchers Red]

Alan Warboys

[The Red Baron]

Guessing that, if No. 2 is Ian Snodin then No. 1 is Glynn.

[Dutch Uncle]

Guessing that, if No. 2 is Ian Snodin then No. 1 is Glynn.

Absolutely - just the one Conference appearance.

[Lifelong supporter]

 Paul Raven?

[Dutch Uncle]

Alan Warboys

Yep - number 5. The last one might take a little thought

[Dutch Uncle]

 Paul Raven?

Only about 3 years gap (1988-91)

[Bentley Bullet]

Colin Douglas?

[Dutch Uncle]

Colin Douglas?

Also less than 3 years gap (1985-88)

[Dutch Uncle]

The last player is roughly the same sort of time frame as the first three (1980s/1990s)

[Ldr]

Jim Dobbin?

[Dutch Uncle]

Jim Dobbin?

Excellent - you guys are very good 

Will annotate the OP with the next few players on the list

[belton rover]

Didn’t Dave Harle come back late in his career?

[Dutch Uncle]

Didn’t Dave Harle come back late in his career?

Had gaps of about 2 years and 4 years - he was with us three times

[roversdude]

Tongue in cheek - Jon Taylor

[hamiltonrover]

Is the Dobbin info correct?

4: 4197 days: Jim Dobbin 17 September 1986 to 14 March 1998

I’m sure he played in most games in 97/98, so would have thought he played before March 98

[Dutch Uncle]

Hi Hamilton - thank you so much. I had confused myself and taken his last appearance in 1997-98. The first was 23 August 97 and actually moves him below Alan Warboys. Will amend OP.

It is very gratifying and also humbling when someone shows the interest and takes the effort to correct these things, so once again thank you