‘Leave the football before the football leaves you.’ The infamous quote from former Liverpool defender and now media pundit Jamie Carragher, when discussing his thoughts on the ageing process affecting Manchester United midfielder Casemiro.
For former Wolves striker Ashley Hemmings, the opposite is true.
Hemmings, who turned 34 in March, has just come off the most successful campaign of his career. Ageing like a fine wine.
He struck 33 goals last season – including three hat tricks – for Kidderminster Harriers, who went agonisingly close to winning promotion from National League North to the top division, and the brink of the Football League.
A first professional deal, with other young hopefuls!
Already voted at Harriers as the Fans’ Player of the Season, Players’ Player of the Season and Away Supporters’ Player of the Season, three weeks ago Hemmings attended the National League awards and added their Player of the Year and top scorer accolade to his profile.
Little wonder that he is already relishing another season having committed his future at Aggborough, believing there is still plenty more to come.
“I certainly feel like I am getting better with age,” says Hemmings.
“Last season was the best I ever had individually, I really enjoyed it even though it was a disappointing end for all of us connected with Kidderminster.
“But I am still learning and wanting to improve and to get better as a player.
“As you get older, you have to look at how you look after yourself and recover between games and training as your body is very different to when you are 18 to 25.
“I am thankful to all the different people who have helped me to keep going, and I’m still able to keep up with the young ones in training which is good!
“I still feel strong and am ready and looking forward to pre-season.”
Ashley Hemmings (left) of Wolverhampton Wanderers celebrates after scoring to make it 0-1 with David Edwards of Wolverhampton Wanderers
Hemmings has completed many pre-seasons since first becoming a professional footballer, now 16-and-a-half years ago, when putting pen to paper on his first deal at Wolves.
He was one of a prolific year group from the Academy in terms of the number going on to build careers in the game, even if, for many, it was away from Molineux.
Danny Batth went on to captain Wolves and was involved in two promotions, whilst David Davis played in the Premier League, but, like Hemmings, Sam Winnall, Scott Malone and Kyle Bennett went on to enjoy successful careers elsewhere.
That certainly made for some great times within the Academy, for whom renowned Wolves scout Bob Bennett initially spotted the talents of Hemmings whilst he was at a tournament with Argyle Young Guns. Having been told by an opposition scout that the standard was poor, Bennett spotted over his shoulder a young player warming the goalkeeper up with plenty of style and potential. That was Hemmings.
Actually born in London, he had barely enjoyed a taste of football until moving to Wolverhampton at the age of seven, where he soon picked up the bug from playing with his cousins.
“I remember after being scouted by Bob I was invited on trial and played some games at Compton, including one against Crewe which I still clearly remember like it was yesterday,” he recalls.
“We won 4-1, and Kyle Bennett scored twice, I got one and Josh Craddock the other.
“I managed to get a scholarship, from the Under-eights onwards, and the Academy was amazing for me right from the first day.
“Learning from coaches and managers like Des Davis, Chico (Carlo Federici), Steve (Burrell), Dave (Timmins), Stuart (Holmes), Lloyd (Stobart) – as I moved through the Academy each of them taught me something new and different about my game and I have so much to thank them for.
“And then there were so many different experiences from going to Japan at Under-12s, tournaments in Holland, Italy and Germany, all the fixtures up and down the country travelling on the coach with the parents.
“It was really good that so many of us of the age stayed together as a core group through all those years and went on to make it in the game.
“I cherish each and every one of those times, and without them I would never have had the career that I did.”
Hemmings had already represented England Under-17s at the Nordic Cup 18 months before putting pen to paper on his first professional contract on his 17th birthday in early 2009.