Portsmouth FA Cup winner and ex-Leeds, Reading and Norwich City man comes out of retirement to make record-breaking return to football - at the age of 42

Jamie Ashdown retired in August 2015 after serving Reading, Norwich, Leeds, Oxford United and, of course, the Blues.

He spent eight seasons at Fratton Park, totalling 123 appearances, and earned an FA Cup medal after sitting on the bench for the 2008 Wembley triumph over Cardiff.

However, seven years after quitting the game, he returned to playing duties with Ascot United in the summer, having previously served as the non-leaguers’ goalkeeping coach.

Ashdown has since cemented the number one spot and earlier this month helped the Combined Counties Premier Division North side to register a club-record 12 successive wins, playing every minute during a remarkable run.

The veteran’s impressive displays also warranted receiving their Player of the Month for December, proving class doesn’t age.

Ascot are presently top of the table, four points clear of Reading City, albeit having played a game more, as they set the standards.

They have won 15 of their 17 league matches, dropping just four points all campaign, including a 1-1 draw with nearest rivals Reading.

In their latest outing, the Yellamen thumped Windsor 5-1 on Saturday, with Brendan Matthews grabbing his 25th goal in 26 appearances for Jamie Tompkins’ all-conquering team this season.

Ashdown was signed by Harry Redknapp in June 2004 from Reading, with Pompey required to pay compensation for a 23-year-old possessing 16 first-team appearances for his home-town club.

Over the next eight years he battled with the likes of Davd James, Shaka Hislop, Dean Kiely, Asmir Begovic and Stephen Henderson for a regular spot, serving under eight different managers.

Ashdown was released by Pompey boss Steve Cotterill along with Benjani and Ricardo Rocha in the summer of 2012.

Yet would play just 14 more Football League games in his career, following spells with Leeds, Crawley and Oxford United.