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Alex Flisher has already been told he’ll need a knee replacement in years to come - but that won’t stop him giving everything for new club Sittingbourne.
Flisher, 29, brings all-out commitment, and no shortage of quality, as Brickies fans will see over the coming months following his arrival from Kent rivals Hythe.
He’s a great signing for manager Darren Blackburn, with the added bonus that he can play in so many positions.
The forward joins Sittingbourne, where he links up with brother Sam, after recovering from his latest knee injury.
Unlike the first two serious injuries, which occurred during matches for Maidstone and Margate, this one happened at work and meant he missed the first few months of the Isthmian South East season.
Flisher, a carpenter, said: “I was sat down at work under a roof canopy doing something and as I twisted to stand up I felt the knee pop, and this was my good knee.
“I thought I might have just jarred it but I woke up the next day and it was worse.
“I went to see the bloke who did my two knee ops and it turned out I’d torn my medial ligament standing up and there was a minute tear in my cartilage.
“He said to leave it a few weeks to let the medial ligament heal and I had a gel injection which lubricates the knee and fills in any cracks.
“When I went back for a scan the medial ligament was fine and he said that would help with the cartilage, so my knee is as normal as it can be.
“He’s already said I’ll need a knee replacement when I’m older, guaranteed, because of my other knee.
“I’m happy to keep playing as long as I can.
“I discussed it with George (wife) and I said if I have another serious injury I’d call it a day.
“I can’t keep having injections and operations every 18 months to keep me playing football but I’m going to try all the time I’m relatively fit.”
Flisher played with Brickies boss Blackburn as a teenager at Hollands & Blair, helping out in a couple of pre-season games, before making a name for himself at Maidstone.
Blackburn was keen on a move when it became clear he would be leaving Hythe and got ex-Cannons boss Steve Watt to put in a word.
There was also interest from Phoenix Sports but Sittingbourne were a good fit.
“I left Hythe because of the budget cut and then Watty said Darren had been asking about me,” said Flisher.
“I spoke to Phoenix as well, and the manager said they’re signing a load of new players, but they’re down the bottom and I didn’t know if I wanted to go and do that and be battling week in, week out, to try and stay up.
“I know more of the boys at Sittingbourne, and Sam’s there, it’s closer to home, so it was quite an easy decision.
“It was my first game on Saturday (0-0 draw with Ramsgate) and I was really impressed with the way they play and the players they’ve got down there.
“When everyone’s fit, it’s a really good team.
“They play an attacking three behind a lone striker and I said to Darren I can play any of those four positions but he also knows he can play me left-back or centre-midfield, if needed.”
Sittingbourne, eighth in Isthmian South East, visit struggling Lancing this Saturday.