Non-league club sign 54-year-old fan as emergency goalkeeper

Updated: 24 Nov, 2025 • 0 • min read

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Non-league club sign 54-year-old fan as emergency goalkeeper

Non-league side Dorking Wanderers have turned to one of their most loyal supporters to solve an injury crisis by signing 54-year-old fan Terry Dunn as emergency cover in goal.

With first-choice keeper Harrison Foulkes ruled out for four weeks with a spleen injury and no replacement available until Monday, manager and chairman Marc White has handed Dunn, a lifelong Wanderers supporter, the chance to fulfil a dream.

From the Stands to the Pitch

Dunn, who last played competitively in 1997 and won multiple promotions with local Surrey clubs including the now-defunct North Holmwood FC, will feature in Saturday's National League South clash against AFC Totton at Meadowbank.

Speaking after signing his short-term deal, Dunn said:

Playing in goal is like riding a bike - you never forget it.

I still regularly play walking football. As a Wanderers fan, no one will be trying harder than me to keep a clean sheet on Saturday.

White, never one to shy away from headlines, admitted Dunn's fitness might not be perfect but insisted passion would carry him through.

In an era where passion comes in low quantities, what Terry lacks in mobility, he'll make up for in heart - and for one game, we're just going to have to get on with it.

Should Dunn take to the pitch, he will become the oldest-ever player in the National League South, breaking the record set by Wanderers defender Tony Craig, who played at 40 in their recent defeat to Hornchurch.

One Game Only

The club have reassured fans that Dunn's debut will be a one-off, with a new keeper set to arrive on loan next week.

For Dunn, though, Saturday will be a moment he never forgets - trading the terraces for the turf to help the club he loves.

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