“It’s been a great semi-pro career and I’ve made some amazing memories.”
Playing at Wembley is a career highlight for Worksop Town man Josh Wilde, but throughout his footballing career he has had plenty of success.
“Getting promoted is the best feeling because it’s such a long period of time so that outdoes anything. I’ve been lucky enough to play in teams that have gone up and I’ve been in promotion teams three times,” he told Semi-Professional.
The full-back also admitted he has been fortunate enough to have never been relegated in his career.
Playing against a big club is any lower-league team’s hope, and any player wants to play against top opposition.
“We’ve had friendlies against big teams, I remember playing Hull when they had Harry Maguire, and now look at him!”
It’s not everyday that you get to play at Wembley, never mind win there in a penalty shootout against Hollywood-owned Wrexham in the FA Trophy final. For Josh Wilde, that was a dream come true.
“They wrote us off,” he said.
Wrexham were clear favourites in the final, with such a strong squad for non-league, so it was a huge upset when North Ferriby United won.
“What an amazing day,” he added.
There was never a doubt in his mind that he was going to play football, but it isn’t always as straightforward as you’d think.
From nine-years-old, Josh was in Sheffield Wednesday’s academy, with the likes of Liam Palmer who still plays for SWFC today.
It was two years prior when Josh’s football dream started, playing for his local team Beighton Magpies. At seven, he was already in the under 9s team because his dad knew the manager (which is very common in Sunday league football).
“It was strange because I was tiny and I’m still not big now!”
After a day trial at Young Owls, Josh was picked to join them and that led to him signing for Wednesday’s academy the year after. Scoring around 32 goals in one season from the left wing is always a promising sign from an eight-year-old I suppose.
18 year old Josh was being told by different coaches he was going to be offered a pro deal, and to this day his mates still wonder how he never got the offer. “I can remember I walked out, sat in my car and started crying.”
Back then, football was the only thing on his mind, but even Wilde has had doubts about playing.
“I fell out of love with it massively.”
Now 32, Josh does admit he went through a rough patch in football where he didn’t enjoy it anymore just before COVID hit.
“I was only doing it for money and didn’t want to play,” he said.
The ultimate realisation that every game could be his last would be the reason Josh found his drive for it again. “Before you know it, it might be over.”
The full-back is currently at Worksop Town, battling it out in the Northern Premier League after they battered the league last season and won promotion.
“I think we should make play-offs but I do have to question if my body will be able to carry on in tougher divisions because in football terms I’m getting old and it does take a toll on your body.”
As you can imagine, semi-pro footballers don’t have as much pressure on them as the top players do nowadays.
It’s fair to say Josh as experienced his share of chaotic nights out with his teammates: “With Halifax, we went to Dublin in fancy dress and I got shafted! I had to wear this inflatable turkey costume which wouldn’t even fit through some doors.
“There were some questionable moments that night, some of the lads almost got chased through Dublin by some Irish folk!
“It’s that sort of stuff that I’ll miss the most when I finish.”