The term legend is bandied around too often in sport but after 650 games and 31 years of service as a player for one club Mark Collett has every right to call himself one.
Having played his first game for Cefn Cribwr back in 1992, the 51-year-old has finally hung up his boots.
It has been quite the journey for the prop, one which ended with Cefn Cribwr winning promotion to Division three West Central with a 26-13 victory over Maesteg.
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Unfortunately Collett picked up a back injury against Alltwen last week, and was unable to play but led the team out onto the field.
"I knew it was going to come to a head at some point but I am gutted to be finishing," he told WalesOnline.
"I played my first game for Cefn Cribwr in 1992 when I joined from Maesteg Harlequins who were my first senior club.
"I never looked back.
"In my younger days I played in the back-row, and second-row, but in the second part of my career I moved into the front-row.
"It was a shame I couldn't play in this final game but it was still a great honour, and I'm proud to have played a part in the club getting promoted.
"Winning promotion has been immense for the club.
"It's a very hard league to get out of, and there's a lot of good sides in it. We've worked so hard off the field to make it a successful club.
"It's run by a cracking committee, and promotion is just rewards for their efforts."
A lot can change in 31 years, either for better of worse, and there isn't much Collett hasn't experienced at the grassroots level of Welsh rugby.
So, what are his best memories of playing for Cefn Cribwr?
"I remember once we were up in North Wales in the cup," he said.
"We were unbeaten in our league, and we played Rhyl on their own patch who were also unbeaten in their league.
"We went up there and won. That game will always stick in the memory.
"This is the third promotion I've been involved in. The first one is my personal favourite where we only lost two games that season.
"So much has changed in 30 years.
"For me it's not gone totally in the right way. Some of the changes have helped the game but some of them isn't what rugby should be about.
"You could have a good old tussle back in the day but when you came off the field you had a good old laugh afterwards.
"These days it's not like that."
With the game in Wales struggling on the whole, Cefn Cribwr are one of the exceptions to the rule; a club that has a thriving junior section and appreciates its importance to the local community.
Collett is hugely proud to have played a part in Cefn Cribwr's rise, and is hopeful of staying involved in some capacity off the field.
"The rugby club means everything for Cefn," he said.
"We are only a small village, and the club has been going for donkeys years.
"What makes this promotion so special is the fact we've been through some tough times as a club.
"Before we moved to the new clubhouse things were really tough as we struggled to get teams on the field.
"We've moved over to the new ground now, and we've really flourished since. We've got a thriving junior section which not every club can say.
"I'll stay involved with the club.
"I've been here 30 years, and I'm definitely going to do something.
"What that is I don't know quite yet but the club will always be a part of my life some way or the other."
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