Who are the players credited with the most appearances in South African football? SoccerClub Editor Nick Said reveals the top five players who were in for the long haul.

Longevity is always to be savoured in football, because the road to the top of the game is fraught with hurdles and the ability to remain there takes dedication, hard work and no shortage of luck.

So we should celebrate players who have managed to beat the odds and stay in the elite league for, in some cases, a couple of decades.

Record-keeping in South African football was not as it should be in the 1970s and early part of the 80s, so we will never know who the true record- holder for the most appearances ever in South African football is.

But we can measure the top players in terms of starts since the formation of the National Soccer League in 1985 and it makes for an interesting list, including one current player.

MARK ANDERSON – 446

Teams: Pretoria Callies, Mamelodi Sundowns, Umtata Bush Bucks, Hellenic

The goalkeeper is best known for his time at Mamelodi Sundowns, but was a star for a number of clubs and ever dependable between the sticks.

Anderson was the keeper in South Africa’s first ever international match against Cameroon in 1992, though he was already 30 by then and made only seven appearances for Bafana Bafana.

His son Marc was on the books of Cape Town City and is also a keeper, though he has struggled to replicate his father’s success to date. They say keepers only mature in their 30s, so there is still time.

BRIAN BALOYI – 464

Teams: Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns

‘Spiderman’ was a favourite at both Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns, and excelled with each club during a superb career that lasted some 17 years. The bulk of his starts – 347 – came at Chiefs and it was quite a surprise when he signed for The Brazilians in 2004.

With his acrobatic saves, he quickly became a favourite there, too, though at times he overdid it and seemed rather to be putting on a show for the crowd. Still, he is a much-loved former player.

He unfortunately played in an era when Bafana Bafana had some great keepers and as such was limited to 24 international appearances over 12 years, though he did captain his country.

VUYO MERE – 506

Teams: Hellenic, Mamelodi Sundowns, Moroka Swallows, Platinum Stars, BidVest Wits, Swallows FC, TS Galaxy

Mere was still nominally on the books of TS Galaxy this past season, but barely played and could be coming to the end of his career at the age of 39.

It has, however, been a stellar effort and he has remained one of the most respected individuals in the local game in the past two decades, overcoming some off-the-field challenges.

He passed the 500 mark while with Swallows FC when they played to a 0–0 draw with Chippa United in October 2021, and has had just a handful of starts since then.

By his own admission, he was a wayward character in his youth at Mamelodi Sundowns, but has reformed and is now regarded as one of the top professionals in the local game. He played in his 22nd season in 2022/23.

NEIL TOVEY – 519

Teams: Durban City, AmaZulu, Kaizer Chiefs

Tovey is best remembered for his time at Kaizer Chiefs, but was also a stalwart for Durban City and AmaZulu.

He was a central defender who also spent some time playing in midfield and while perhaps not the most technically flamboyant, was consistently solid and had great leadership qualities in the teams he played in.

With Tovey, you knew what you would get, and he was as dependable as they come, very rarely having a bad game. He retired from playing in 1999, aged 37.

His 52 caps included captaining Bafana Bafana to the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations title.

EDRIES BURTON – 590

Teams: Santos, AmaZulu, Cape Town Spurs

Fullback Burton made 426 starts for Santos over two spells and is best remembered as a fixture in their side during an 18-year playing career that included very few injuries.

But early on he also turned out for Cape Town Spurs (74 starts) and AmaZulu (92) before returning to Santos.

It was during that time that he averaged more than 30 games a season, not only managing to stay injury free, but also showing great consistency in performance.

He did the simple things well and was a coach’s dream for the way he trained.

It is unlikely his record will ever be topped, though Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams stands the best chance.