Luke Chambers: Colchester United defender vows to carry on after reaching league appearances top 10
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Luke Chambers has played 84 games in all competitions for Colchester since joining them in the summer of 2021
Colchester defender Luke Chambers insists his "journey is not over" after moving into the top 10 for the most appearances in English league football.
The 37-year-old played his 779th league game in their 1-1 draw with Barrow.
And the former Nottingham Forest and Ipswich centre-back intends to climb higher before his career ends.
"I feel I've got plenty of games left in me, so my personal objective is to get as far up that table as I can," Chambers told BBC Essex.
"It's been an amazing journey, but I don't feel it's over yet."
The U's have 16 matches left to play in League Two this season and if Chambers appears in them all, he could climb above Robbie James, Dean Lewington, David James, Neil Redfearn and Tommy Hutchison into fifth place on the list.
But he has a long way to go to catch former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, who heads the list with 1,005 league appearances.
Chambers was only 17 when he played his first match for Northampton Town in a 2-1 defeat at Mansfield Town in May 2003.
"To ever have achieved this many games is beyond my wildest expectations," he said.
"There's not an ounce of me that is thinking of hanging my boots up. When I left Ipswich [in 2021], I could easily have tapped out then, but no, there's plenty more I feel I can give.
"I've played every game this season so far and as long as I feel I'm giving enough to the team on and off the pitch, I'll continue to play for as long as I'm wanted.
"I feel I've given a lot of service to the club already in my 18 months here and it's something I want to continue, especially with what the gaffer [Matt Bloomfield] is building and my relationship with him."
He continued: "I've been one of the lucky ones [with injuries], but there have been times when I've played when I shouldn't have been anywhere near a football pitch."
Colchester were fourth from bottom of the table when Bloomfield took over at the end of September, but they are now 17th and seven points clear of the relegation places.
"I think the group is fulfilling the potential I always knew we had," Chambers added.
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