SAM Hardcastle – one of the most decorated players in Lions’ history – revealed he would have considered retiring if Bournemouth had suffered more big-match misery.

The 30-year-old admitted that defeat against Chinnor would have left him pondering whether to continue his distinguished playing career.

Hardcastle has written his name in the club’s history books by smashing a series of records since first appearing in the first team as a 17-year-old.

Fourteen seasons later, the local lad is still going strong and has been described as being like “gold-dust” for the Chapel Gate outfit.

Hardcastle reaffirmed his loyalty after tasting victory in his 200th Bournemouth appearance in the potentially crucial win over Chinnor last Saturday – but he confessed that a different outcome could have led to him calling it a day.

He told the Daily Echo: “We missed out last year and having lost the big game against Redingensians, if we had messed it up again you start questioning whether you are going to carry on or not.

“But I am definitely here until the body can’t keep going any more.

“Dealing with the heartache of coming so close and then going back to square one again is hard to take.

“But I am just glad, while it is not over yet, that we have got one foot in the door now.

“We have just got to win the next three games and then, hopefully, we should be home and dry.”

If Lions win their final three matches to seal promotion and the National Three South West title, it would complete a major turnaround since Hardcastle’s debut senior campaign as a 17-year-old.

The scrum-half, who holds the club league try-scoring record with 119, suffered relegation from South West Two East and Lions spent six years in Southern Counties South before their climb began.

Hardcastle recalled: “We were getting hammered every game.

“It turned around two or three years in. I went away for a bit then came back.

“And with the group of boys we have got now, we have been together a good few years and we are like a family. It is just good to play with your mates.”

Hardcastle’s continued desire to star for Bournemouth will be music to the ears of David Dunn.

The Lions director of rugby said: “He is hugely important to us. I thought he was outstanding against Chinnor.

“In fact, the referee singled out one player and said ‘look after your scrum-half because he is like gold-dust to you’. That is the measure in which the referee assessed him on one performance but I would certainly agree with what he said.

“Sam went away and played in Australia while he was travelling, he played for Malvern while at university in Worcester and he also had a spell with Havant, but he has come back to his roots and he is really enjoying his rugby.”

Hardcastle is set to start when Bournemouth visit Old Patesians tomorrow.