Pic: Mark Parsons
ASHLEY FLYNN, in his own words, was the laughing stock of Non-League football last season – now the opposition can't stop talking about the AFC Emley striker's 46 goals!
That's the incredible number of times the 26-year-old has hit the back of the net so far this campaign for the Northern Counties East League Division One club.
Just a reminder; we're not even half-way through November. It's a far cry from April when Flynn was in the headlines for a Panenka penalty gone wrong.
Dubbed the worst spot-kick of all time, a video of him gently chipping the ball into the Emsworth keeper's arms from 12 yards went global.
But it's Flynn who's laughing now with an incredible goal count – a NCEL Division One record – for Darren Hepworth's Pewits, which includes two five-goal hauls.
“It's better than last year when I was the laughing stock of football,” Flynn, who has failed to find the net in just two games this season, told The NLP.
“I broke the league record a couple of years ago when I scored 42 for Emley and I've broken that this season already. We've still got 30 games to go which is quite frightening!
“I'm getting man-marked quite a lot now. But we've got a really good attacking team, so if they mark me there are other players to worry about.
“My strike partner Kieran Ryan deserves a massive mention because he does a lot of the dirty work that doesn't get him noticed. A lot of strikers would be annoyed I'm getting all the attention but he's happy to work for the team.”
Naturally the attention is coming from other managers looking to bolster their goals for column – not that Flynn is interested.
“The manager Daz said 12 or 13 teams from higher up have put seven-days in for me now, but I want to get as many goals for Emley as I can,” he said.
“It's on my doorstep, all my friends are there and I'm enjoying it. The management and staff are good people. I know it's a cliché, but it's a really good club to play for.
Achievement
“Before the season the manager said he'd be pleased if I got 30 as that would help us get at least into the play-offs. Now he wants me to reach 60.
“When I got to 30 I said I wanted 40 by the end of October, which I did. Now I've said I want 50 by the end of November. I'm taking it month by month.
“Getting 100 is doable but I'm not sure I will quite reach that. I'll be happy with 65 for the season. If I can do that it will be a good achievement.”
And any more cheeky penalties? “I don't have the bottle to do that now,” said Flynn, who has scored two and missed one from the spot this season.
“Daz said in pre-season if I chip a pen then that's it, he's done with me. I don't think that would be the case now, but you never know!”
