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England's most ruthless goalscorer is back in business after playing in non-league - four years after retiring.
David Nugent, 40, rolled back the years on Saturday as he turned out for eighth-tier Anstey Nomads from Leicestershire against Loughborough Students.
He is technically the most efficient goalscorer the nation has ever seen, having scored in the 11 minutes he was given for England against Andorra in 2007. Nobody can beat that ratio.
The former Leicester, Preston, and Portsmouth marksman was unable to find the net for Anstey on his 700th career appearance, though he did only come on after 90 minutes.
Nugent recently took up the role of player-coach with the Northern Premier League Midlands Division club and fans chanted his name as he came on on Saturday.
'Very odd! I didn't expect to come on, to be honest,' he said, via the Daily Mirror.
England one-cap wonder David Nugent ended his retirement to play in non-league on Saturday
Nugent, 40, made his 700th career appearance as he came on as a late sub for Anstey Nomads
'Conrad [Logan, head of football] asked me to come along and help coach because one of the managers has gone on holiday. I said I'd come in and help; hopefully, the lads can learn from my experience.
'It feels a lot harder! I didn't even warm up! I stood on the sideline for 85 minutes and then came on for five. It's nice to be out there. That was my first competitive game since 2021, so it is tough.
'Conrad was asking me for 10; I said I'd do five. It was nice to be out there and help the lads. I didn't really contribute much, but hopefully, with more training and getting fitter, I can contribute more.
'I'm doing my coaching B licence now, so that's one route I need to go down to get into the game.
'I know Conrad from when I was at Leicester. I only live down the road, so it's not hard to get to, and my daughter plays in the academy, so I'm Anstey through and through now!
'Commentating and doing analysis on the game is different. But when you're involved, it's better to be on the pitch. After five years out, I'd rather be on the sidelines, let's put it that way. My legs don't work like they used to.'
Nugent is part of the one-cap club alongside the likes of Ryan Shawcross, Jon Flanagan, and Joey Barton.
The 2007-2012 period was particularly fertile for one-time strikers; Nugent, Dean Ashton, Kevin Davies, Jay Borthroyd, and Fraizer Campbell all debuted in that time, never to play for the country again.
Rather than put his feet up, he has wanted to break back into the game and recently became a player-coach for the eighth-tier team
Nugent came off the bench to score in a 3-0 win over Andorra in March 2007, helping to spare Steve McClaren's blushes after England were booed off at half-time while drawing 0-0.
But Nugent never had a chance for the Three Lions again.
Recalling the episode eyars later in an interview with Sky Bet, he said: 'It was a madness.
'I remember the game that Steve McClaren came to watch, we were playing Ipswich at home.
'I'm not being funny, I probably had the worst game of my career! I always score against Ipswich but in this game I had a shocker, and I remember thinking "oh my God, I'm never getting called up."
'But England were struggling for strikers, there were a lot of injuries and suspensions. I was playing well for the U21s and I think Steve McClaren was like to the manager, "who is your best one you've got there, is it worth calling someone else up or shall I give Nuge a chance?"
'I had a phone call off Steve McClaren saying, "Listen, Nuge, I want you to come to the England squad," and I couldn't believe it.
'I had so much press coverage, I had ITV coming around to my house in Liverpool, on a council estate, it was just mad, like doing interviews and my mum and dad were doing interviews.'
Nugent has turned out for the likes of Leicetser, Portsmout, and Preston North End (pictured)
He added: 'I've come on, and I've missed a chance in the first five minutes. Stewart Downing has pulled one back and I've had a shot that's gone wide and I think that's my chance over.
'But then last minute of the game Jermain Defoe gets the ball and he has a shot, the keeper saves it and you can see it like rolling in but I'm thinking I'm going to get this. I'm not leaving it!
'I've ran in and scored, basically on the line, and Jermain has run off celebrating. I was like, "it's mine, it's mine, it's mine!" I'm trying to celebrate and they're all running over to Jermain but I was like "it was me who scored." After the game I didn't know if I did or not, but I had to get confirmation off the BBC in the interview.
'It just gives hope to other players and you don't see it very often now, there's only a select few people who've played for England while playing in the Championship. It was a proud moment and shows if you're good enough, you're going to get selected.
'You have just got to keep trying hard and working your hardest and your chance will come.'
Nugent played 698 games at club level and scored 171 goals.
He has turned out for Bury, Preston, Portsmouth (with whom he won the FA Cup in 2008), Burnley, Leicester, Middlesbrough, Derby, Tranmere, and now Anstey.
