Simon Downer may have racked up 200 appearances for Sutton United with no intention of stopping, but the central defender has more pressing issues on his mind.

The 33-year-old hit the milestone in the 2-0 FA Cup win at Bishop’s Stortford, having returned to the Lane in the summer after a season-long spell at Maidenhead United.

Work commitments forced Downer’s departure from United in the summer of 2014, then life changed for the father of two after he left his new employers, leaving the door open for his return to the Lane in July.

But it is a bittersweet reunion – for Downer can only play for United all the time he is without a job, and at the same time he knows the importance of providing for his family.

“It was difficult to leave United, but for the last three or four months of the season before I left, I was working on the underground and I was sleeping in my car ahead of the games. It was really tough,” he said.

“I was willing to do it again last season, but my missus said it would end up killing me.

“I saw sense – the job came first, it was how I was going to provide for my family.

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The way we were (from left to right): Sutton United boss Paul Doswell, Simon Downer and former assistant boss Alan Payne in a pre-season chat in 2010

“But in the end the job was too much anyway, I had to quit for the sake of my family – I had a baby boy and I was not seeing him, and I missed my little girl’s birthday.”

He added: “I kept in touch with Dos during last season, and there were a few times when he asked me to come back.

“He asked me again when Maidenhead were struggling, but I did not want to just jump ship, I wanted to make sure they were safe before I made the decision.

“It went down to the last month of the season, so there was not much point moving for the final few games.”

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He added: “Even after that I had a job interview in Swindon. If I’d got the job I could not have played for United.

“It was the last week before pre-season before I found out I had not got the job. So first thing I did was go back to play for United again.

“I am worrying about my future after football, I am getting on a bit now and I don’t know how long I can keep going.

“But then I look at people like Dunds [Craig Dundas] who is a good friend. He is a year older than me and he’s still doing it, he’s an inspiration.

“I don’t think I’ll get as many appearances as him, he is a real true United legend in my eyes.”

Despite his momentous achievement, Downer remains philosophical about the milestone.

He prefers to heap praise on the United set-up as one that compels players to want to stay on.

“Someone told me I’d reached 200 games the other day and I was a bit shocked,” he said. “In this day and age, you do not get many players who do that – many players go from club to club.

Your Local Guardian: Happy memories: Simon Downer is mobbed after scoring the 3-1 win over Ebbsfleet at the back end of last season               All pictures: Paul Loughlin

Happy days: Simon Downer is mobbed after opening the scoring against Ebbsfleet in April last year   Picture: Paul Loughlin 

“I took a step back and thought, yes, it is an achievement even though I am just doing my job and playing football.”

He added: “I have had opportunities to leave and go to bigger clubs. When I first signed in 2010, I could have gone to Wrexham, Mansfield Town, Macclesfield or Newport.

“I turned them all down to stay at United because I felt comfortable and I was enjoying myself.

“There is an attraction to United – it is a warm and welcoming club. Everyone from the chairman to the fans are unbelievable.”

Downer saw red in his last outing in United colours in last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Hemel Hempstead at the Lane.

The two sides face off again this weekend, at Hemel, in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup.

Downer will take his place in the centre of defence before starting his suspension and missing the league trip to Bath City the following weekend.

He said: “Hemel are a good side. It’s a tough draw, but it is also winnable.

“There is no one in our league that we should be scared of, we should be able to beat anyone, so as much as it is a tough draw and there could have been easier games, it’s a game we can win.

“We’ve got to go into it looking at winning, there is no point worrying about what could have been.”

He added: “We know what they are about and they know what we are about.

“Every game you have to want to go out there and win, and that’s what we’ve got to do – let’s not worry about who we’re playing.”