Common boss hails 300-goal hot shot

Hole brought up his triple century with a brace of strikes in last weekend’s 3-1 win away to Billingshurst which sent Common back to the top of Macron Store Southern Combination Football League Division One.

Eldridge said: “To score 300 goals is a big achievement in itself, but to do it for one club, I don’t think words can describe how big an achievement it is.

“The word legend is kind of bandied around, but he truly is one in terms of Little Common with his service and loyalty to the football club and the volume of goals he’s scored.”

Hole has exceeded the 30-goal mark in four separate seasons (2008/09, 2009/10, 2013/14 and 2016/17) and is already up to 23 for the current campaign. He is the division’s leading scorer this term with 21 league goals.

“I’ve got nothing but respect for Lewis,” Eldridge continued. “When I came to manage the club, he was one of the players that I wanted to get.

“He’s been a model professional as such. He’s always at training, works hard, loves his football and loves scoring goals, but he’s also a great team player.

“He would be the first to acknowledge he’s needed help from various players over the years to get to that achievement, but ultimately it’s about him.”

Hole is comfortably Common’s all-time leading goalscorer, and assuming he maintains form and fitness, his tally is likely to get considerably higher yet.

“You just know if he gets a chance, he’s going to score really,” added Eldridge, who has created a fair few of Hole’s goals. “He does work hard for the team - he’s not a lazy striker - and we joke about it, but almost all his goals come inside the 18-yard box.

“He wants to get between the goalposts because he knows that’s where the chances are going to be. He gets himself in the right positions to give himself the opportunities to score and he converts the chances more often than not.”

Hole wrote on social media site Twitter: “So happy to have scored my 300th goal for @littlecommonfc, couldn’t have done it without all my team-mates. Cheers boys. #300club #glb”

A number of players and clubs replied to that post with messages of congratulations.

One of them, from Eastbourne United AFC manager Tobi Hutchinson, said: “Great achievement pal. The amount of goals is a phenomenal achievement but to do it for one club is just incredible.”

Lewis Hole’s 301 Little Common goals:

Season 2005/06 - 14 goals

06/07 - 16 goals

07/08 - 16 goals

08/09 - 31 goals

09/10 - 36 goals

10/11 - 16 goals

11/12 - Didn’t play for club

12/13 - 26 goals

13/14 - 34 goals

14/15 - 24 goals

15/16 - 27 goals

16/17 - 38 goals

17/18 - 23 goals