NEEDHAM Market boss Danny Laws today paid tribute to star defender Rhys Barber, as the 23-year-old celebrates 200 games with the club.Barber will be making his 201st first-team appearance this afternoon, as Ridgeons League Premier Division leaders Needham entertain Kirkley & Pakefield at Bloomfields.

Mike Bacon

NEEDHAM Market boss Danny Laws today paid tribute to star defender Rhys Barber, as the 23-year-old celebrates 200 games with the club.

Barber will be making his 201st first-team appearance this afternoon, as Ridgeons League Premier Division leaders Needham entertain Kirkley & Pakefield at Bloomfields.

And for Laws it is also a proud day, Barber being the first player in his reign to achieve 200 appearances.

“Rhys was one of the first players I signed back in the summer of '06, I wanted to get him because I knew he had the natural attributes to get better and better,” Laws said.

“His performances this season have again been of a high standard and he has been one of the main reasons we have kept 12 clean sheets in all competitions.”

It's taken just three seasons and three months for Barber to accumulate a sum of appearances that would take your average non-league player four seasons.

What is even more remarkable is the fact that each one of the 200 games has been from the start, as he has never made an appearance from the bench.

Barber and his team-mates, who thrashed Woodbridge 6-0 on Wednesday night to jump to the summit, entertain a Kirkley team who continue to improve and impress and it should be a good game to watch.

Laws added: “It will be good to play a top six team at home. We are enjoying playing on the improved Bloomfields pitch.

“The games have been exciting to watch of late with plenty of goals. We are playing some good football and this has been rewarded by the fans coming back for more.

“Our gates have been fantastic and I anticipate our biggest crowd of the season so far.”

Needham have a fully-fit squad available, with Lewis Pemberton coming through a reserve team fixture at the weekend.

NEEDHAM Market will be having a Wear It Pink day tomorrow for the home match against Kirkley. In support of Breast Cancer, the club will donate �1 per supporter attending the game. On entering the Bloomfields ground any spectator not wearing pink will be asked to make a donation to the charity

Mike.bacon@archant.co.uk

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