Today we look at those who have worn the number 3 shirt in competitive games since squad numbers were brought into the Football League in the 1999/2000 season.
Shaun Smith (Jul 99 – Jun 02)
The first player on the list is former captain Shaun Smith who made over 450 appearances for the club between 1991 and 2002 before having spells with Hull City, Stockport County, Carlisle United, Rochdale and York City before retiring from football in 2006.
Richard Walker (Jul 02 – Jun 05)
The second player was centre-back Walker who came through the Academy and made his debut during the 2000/01 season. After making over 100 appearances for the club, he joined Port Vale in the summer of 2006 and also played for Wrexham, Macclesfield Town and Hednesford Town before retiring through injury in 2010. He is currently the manager of Stoke City’s Under-18 side.
Anthony Tonkin (Jul 05 – Jun 06)
The Cornish left-back joined the club in 2003 from Stockport County, making over 80 appearances in his 3 seasons with the club before rejoining his first club Yeovil Town in 2006. After leaving the Glovers the following summer, he also played for Grays Athletic, Forest Green Rovers, Cambridge United, Oxford United, Aldershot Town and Frome Town before retiring in the summer of 2015.
Billy Jones (Jul 06 – Jun 07)
We covered Billy’s career in yesterday’s column but he wore the number 3 shirt during his final season with the club after becoming first-choice left-back mid-way through the previous season.
Billy Jones (Jul 07 – Jun 10)
What better way to replace one Billy Jones than by signing another one. He joined from Exeter City in the summer of 2007 for £65,000, making 84 appearances in all competitions before rejoining the Grecians. After leaving them in 2012, he spent spells at Cheltenham Town, Newport County, Gloucester City, Harlow Town twice, Cheshunt, Bowers & Pitsea and Barking.
Danny Blanchett (Jul 10 – Jun 11)
Danny was the next player to wear the number 3 having been signed from Peterborough United on a free transfer and made 44 appearances in all competitions in his only year with the club. After leaving the Alex, he spent time with Burton Albion, York City, Cambridge City, Havant & Waterlooville, Chelmsford City and Hayes & Yeading United before retiring in the summer of 2017.
Harry Davis (Jul 11 – Jun 13)
The elder son of the previous manager Steve, Davis made his debut for the Alex in the final game of the 2009/10 season following a loan spell at Nantwich Town. After a couple more loan spells away, Harry was given the opportunity to establish himself under Dario Gradi then his dad, initially as a full-back then his preferred centre-back role, on the way to making over 200 appearances for the club. He joined St. Mirren on loan in January 2017 and the club permanently that summer, returning to English football to play for Grimsby Town the following summer before being released earlier this summer.
Kelvin Mellor (Jul 13 – Jun 14)
Another academy product Mellor was the next player to wear the number during his final season with the club, another player who almost made 100 appearances. After leaving the Alex, he has played for Plymouth Argyle, Blackpool and Bradford City who let him go this summer.
Jon Guthrie (Jul 14 – Jun 17)
Guthrie is another one of those born in the South-West (from a village near Swindon) who joined the club as a teenager from Pewsey Vale. He made over 100 appearances for the club before joining Walsall 3 summers ago and he joined current club Livingston last summer, where he plays with former Alex loanee Aaron Taylor-Sinclair.
Zoumana Bakayago (Jul 17 – Jun 18)
The French-born Ivorian joined the Alex in January 2016 after recovering from his second ACL injury in 10 months and playing for our Under-23s to regain his fitness. He left the club after 30 months, rejoining former club Tranmere Rovers and joined current club Notts County the following summer after their relegation to the National League.
Harry Pickering (Jul 18 – present)
The current number 3 has made over 100 appearances for the club already at the age of 21 having made his debut late in the 2016/17 season. A talented player who can also play in midfield, Pickering has established himself as the first-choice at left-back and was an important member of the promotion side of 2020.
