Richard Ball, from Sutton Coldfield Town, had a single-match trial for Exeter City, shortly before the club's relegation from the Football League in 2003.   

With City at the foot of the Football League, manager Gary Peters was desperate to bring in new blood and gave a run-out to the West Midlands non-league striker in the midweek reserve fixture against Torquay United in March 2003. Although Richard scored in the 2-1 defeat, he wasn't given another chance even though there had been some talk of a contract.. 

A former West Bromwich Albion trainee, he had played for Evesham United  before joining Sutton Coldfield and, in a career that saw him having two spells at some clubs, also turned out for Redditch United and Bromsgrove Rovers.   

“But I think the squad is stronger now and we’re ready to take the club to the next level. The people at Sutton certainly deserve it. Chris and [chairman] Tom Keogh put in so much time and effort and it would nice to repay them and everyone who works so hard behind the scenes.

“I’ve had a few clubs but I really feel this is ‘home’. I would love to finish my career at Sutton.“

Ball has netted 16 league goals this season for Sutton, plus two for Evesham, to lie fifth in the Midlands Division Golden Boot standings, and he has been a familiar name on the non-League top scorers charts for the past decade.

Goals have been his trademark since he first caught the attention of Albion’s scouts and ended up becoming Lee Hughes’ boot-boy at The Hawthorns.

His contemporaries included the Chambers twins, Adam and James who are now at Leyton Orient and Doncaster respectively, plus fellow striker Justin Richards, who is at Cheltenham Town.

“I was at Albion from the age of 14 and I did my YTS with them,” said Tividale-based Ball.

“I played alongside Justin all the way through from 14 to 19 and we had a good goal record between us.