I don't think there will be a better centre forward in non-league football, says Keith McMahon

Greenwich-born Main shocked the footballing world when he announced on his twitter page that he has hung up his boots – at the age of 32 – following a glittering career of banging in goals.

“I’ve retired from football today,” Main told his 1,500 plus twitter followers this afternoon.

“I didn’t do too bad. From someone who couldn’t get in the school team to non-league player of the year.

“Achieved more than I ever could of dreamed of. Goals, trophies, promotions, but more importantly met some proper people that’ll never forget.”

All but one of his clubs were in Kent and it was a privilege to watch the goal-machine in action.

Main wore the colours of VCD Athletic, Cray Wanderers, Tonbridge Angels (two spells), AFC Wimbledon, Dartford, Dover Athletic, Welling United and Thamesmead Town.

Main was an unused substitute in Mead’s FA Cup Second Qualifying Round defeat to Sittingbourne at Bayliss Avenue yesterday and he informed McMahon of his decision earlier today.

The striker burst on to the scene when he scored regularly for Cray Wanderers, before Tony Dolby enticed him to Tonbridge Angels following a cheeky seven-day approach in January 2007, because Main was on non-contract terms at Hayes Lane.

During his first spell at Longmead Stadium, Main scored 68 goals in 86 starts, including a record-breaking 44 goals for the club during the 2006-07 season.

Dolby lost his job and Tommy Warrilow took charge of the Angels and one of his first jobs was to sell Main to AFC Wimbledon for £25,000 in November 2007 – which still remains Tonbridge Angels’ record transfer fee.

In an article published on AFC Wimbledon’s official website in May 2012, Main recalled: “I knew for a couple of weeks that Wimbledon were interested but it all went quiet.  I wanted to go, but Tonbridge were trying to hold onto me and they did not want me to leave.

“It ended up with them saying I could go, but only after we played against Wimbledon. I scored in the match in a 2-2 draw, but I more or less signed for Wimbledon in the bar afterwards. 

“The match was a bit strange for me and I have heard a joke since that Jason Goodliffe was told not to tackle me, but that didn’t stop him smashing into me!”

Main instantly hit it off at Kingsmeadow and sealed promotion from the Ryman Premier League via the play-offs before smashing the Conference South goalscoring record in season 2008-09 when he scored 33 league goals for the Dons.

He also scooped the non-league player of the year award and was part of the squad that clinched promotion into League Two.

Reports elsewhere claim that Main was on £1,200 per week at AFC Wimbledon.

Main scored 61 goals in 91 starts for AFC Wimbledon, but tendonitis and medial knee ligament injuries curtailed his career and he wasn’t the same player when he turned out for his second spell at Tonbridge Angels, for Conference South champions Welling United and it’s sad that Main isn’t in a position to score more than three goals for Ryman Premier League club Thamesmead Town.

Today marks a very sad day for Kent football.

McMahon said: “It’s really, really sad that he’s decided to call it a day.

“He’s spoken to me today and I 100% respect his decision and I can see why he’s done it. I understand why he’s done it in a little way.

“He’s lost his heart in football.  Everything that Jon has done in his career has been unbelievable – I think I’m one of his biggest ever fans.

“I tried to sign Jon a few years’ ago before his career really picked up really – and he was coming on loan to me from Cray Wanderers.

“I remember Jenko (Ian Jenkins) saying to me on the night that he was coming he couldn’t – somebody dropped out - and he went on to bang a hat-trick against Hendon and then his career took off. He went hat-trick after hat-trick and he’s gone on.

“I put him in the utmost respect of a person I managed and I say he’s mostly the best non-league footballer – if not the best non-league football I’ve ever seen!

“He’s won the non-league player of the year. He’s played professionally at AFC Wimbledon and I think only managing him this year I’m a little bit sad that I haven’t managed him over the best times of his career.

“But his professionalism and the way he’s been around me, training with the lads, he sets a lot of goals and aspirations for any youngster at our club because he’s professionalism has been second to none.

“Every game he’s played or not he’s been unbelievable.  Any youngster coming up who throws his toys out of his pram if they’re not playing needs to look at someone like Jon Main and see what he’s done in his career and be like him because he’s been unbelievable.”

McMahon is sad that injuries has, ultimately, finished Main’s career.

“Yes, he’s had two horrific injuries,” explained McMahon. “He’s had a couple of big knee injuries.

“If it weren’t for his injuries he would still be maybe playing at the top level.

“I think Danny Kedwell – who came through the ranks in Kent non-league football – will may be sitting there now and is upset that he’s called it a day.

“The one thing I will say about Jon is he’s a fighter.  When he got through the first injury he wanted to prove himself and he did and he made a comment even this year that he wanted to prove a lot of people wrong who doubted him.

“He started three games for us and scored four goals and you could see in training he put everything into it. He did lack his yard of pace but his attitude was brilliant.

“I just think what he’s done in the whole of football. I have seen him in his prime and if I could have afforded him he would be my number one on the team sheet.

“He’s exceptional. I just think everyone in football knows Jon and loves Jon. I don’t think many people have a bad word to say about him.

“It’s a shame and hopefully he might really fancy playing again – at what level? I’m not sure but I can sort of understand why he had retired.

“When you’ve had such a great career in a short period of time for him as well because he didn’t come on the scene in his career until late – a lot’s happened fast for him and he’s done really well.

“He might want to go out with still a great reputation and all I can say me being his last manager at the moment his reputation is intact because he’s one of the best professional footballers I’ve ever dealt with. 

“He’s always been a friend of mine and he will always be and I think a lot of youngsters will really have to look up to him and see how great this player was.”

When asked what Main said to him as he announced his retirement from the game, McMahon replied: “All he said to me was - and this is why I 100% respect him – he’s lost his heart a little bit and when you’ve played at the level Jon has and had the success that Jon has in the little period of time I can 100% understand what he’s saying and it’s difficult.

“It hurt me every time I didn’t pick Jon this year because I know what he can do. 

“He wants to go out at a high level but he didn’t have that hunger that he had maybe three years ago when he was mostly was the best centre forward around and I don’t mean any level. I mean at a top level. Jon could have gone on and played professional football at a very high level.

“He’s a goalscorer and when he had his trials at big clubs I think they should have looked at his goal record and his goal record speaks for itself and that’s what centre forwards are judged by.

“I don’t think there’s many centre forwards in any level of football who have a goal record like Jon.

“The one thing with Jon, if he didn’t think he could completely commit and wasn’t in love with the game he had to step away and I think that takes even more guts than people playing on and I respect that fully.

“He’s still going to stay signed on with me – in a week, five days or a years’ time, if Jon still decides he’s got the hunger back I’ll take him back – he’s been unbelievable.”

Many tributes have been written on social media wishing Main all the very best of luck in his retirement.

McMahon said: “All you have to do is look on Twitter or Facebook. It’s not just people who are even Jon’s friends.  

“Jon’s friends will speak highly of him but I think Jon speaks for himself with people who don’t know Jon that well and know football and what Jon was about.