Journeymen footballers - they're the lifeblood of the game, the sport's equivalent of a freelance circus ringmaster; carting their families around the country all for the sake of a couple of hours footy a week and a few quid in the sky rocket.

Of course, although they may end up with an accent like Jan Molby, it's a lifestyle we'd all aspire to. A kickaround with your mates in the morning, a bit of a session with the (female) physio at lunch, and an afternoon on the Playstation (or, if you're a reformed David James, painting).

But it if you think the likes of top-level stars such as Andy Cole (13 clubs) and Nicolas Anelka (9 clubs) have become the real journeymen of the modern game, spare a thought for those testing out their cartography skills further down the ladder.

If Bradford-born midfielder Lee Elam seals a deal with York City this week, it'll be another step on his Guinness Book of Records whistlestop tour of Conference outposts, having so far checked in for the night at Southport, Morecambe (twice), Halifax Town, Chester City, Burton Albion, Crawley Town, Weymouth and Exeter City, having only ever once appeared at a higher level during a brief loan spell with Yeovil Town.

To be fair to Elam, he has started to slow down his nomadic existence having, in 2004, appeared for no fewer than five sides, but you do wonder where all this will end for the floppy-haired flincher whose sole interpretation of the word 'loyalty' usually involves a Nectar card. Rushden & Diamonds or Stevenage Borough, probably.

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