Andy Procter is closing in on Paul Mullin’s appearance record for Stanley.
Midfielder Procter would have had another game under his belt had last night’s clash with his former club Bury not been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at the Store First Stadium.
But he is only 30 games away from breaking his friend and former team-mate Mullin’s 465 appearance record for the Reds.
“It will be an honour to get there, hopefully I will,” said Procter. “I know Paul won’t mind if it’s me who takes it off him.”
Procter returned to Stanley in September after spending 10 years at Accrington before a switch to Preston in 2012 and then Bury.
And he has seen enough to believe the Reds have the squad to emulate what they did in 2011 and make the League Two play-offs – even though he believes manager John Coleman and his assistant Jimmy Bell have calmed down since their first spell with the Reds.
“They have certainly mellowed,” smiled Procter. “They don’t throw Jaffa Cakes at players in the changing rooms any more!
“But they have probably learnt a lot in their time away and for having new experiences, like I have.
“They haven’t changed their style of football – they still want to get the ball down and pass it which suits the players at the club – and they have acquired good players like John O’Sullivan and Sean Maguire and freshened the squad up.
“ I have come back a more-rounded player and I think League Two is closer than ever. In this league, any team can beat any other and there isn’t one stand-out side.
“I think more teams are trying to get the ball down and pass it and, if any team can get on a run, then they will be up there and that’s what we need to do.
“At the moment we are winning a few and getting to within touching distance of the top seven and then losing one or two and dropping off so we need to put that run together to actually get into the top seven.
“It was frustrating to have the game called off last night but you can’t do anything about the weather.”
Stanley’s focus is now on the trip to Tranmere next Saturday.
