AS GOALSCORERS go, Scunthorpe United have had few better.

But while club legend Andy Flounders says his Iron career provided nothing but happy memories, he confesses there is a tinge of disappointment he didn't get to showcase his talents during the current United success story.

Despite selling the likes of Billy Sharp, Martin Paterson and Gary Hooper for seven figure sums in recent seasons, none could boast the sort of goal tally enjoyed by Flounders.

Signed from neighbours Hull City in 1987, the prodigal poacher enjoyed the most prolific stint of his 15-year league career at first the Old Show Ground and then Glanford Park.

Only Steve Cammack and Barrie Thomas are able to better the 87 goals Flounders plundered in 195 league appearances.

His strike partnership with Tony Daws has to be the best the club has ever seen, providing just as many memories as Sharp and Andy Keogh and Hooper and Paul Hayes, albeit without as much success for the team.

After four full seasons with the Iron – in which he never failed to score at least 19 times in all competitions – Flounders exited United for £80,000 to Rochdale.

And he is adamant his next destination would have been much more glamorous had he produced those scoring feats in the modern day game.

"Scunthorpe have had a good run with strikers," the 46-year-old told the Telegraph from his home on the North Bank.

"But even when I was there, they liked to get the ball down and tried to play a bit of football.

"That's ideal for a forward, because you know they are always going to create chances.

"Me and Tony Daws were both hard-working players. We were both fairly small compared to, in those days, sides in that division who preferred to have a big centre-forward, six-foot plus.

"Tony was very quick and left-footed and I was right-footed, so it dovetailed quite well. Even from the beginning, it just clicked.

"If that kind of partnership was happening in this day and age, you'd expect there to be some big clubs sniffing around both of us.

"There seems to be very much a shortage of goalscorers around at the moment. They're like gold dust, so we'd have stood a good chance.

"There was never any real interest in us, as far as I know anyway. Probably because Scunthorpe were an unfashionable club I suppose.

"It is a bit disappointing, because if I was playing now, things could have been very different. My career would probably have taken a totally different path.

"But you can look back to top quality players in the 50s and 60s, Stanley Matthews etc. They must say the same type of thing.

"I'd have loved to have played now, with the financial side and the TV appearances that are included in it.

"But at the time everybody enjoyed themselves and enjoyed what they were doing. That was all you could ask for."

To read about Flounders' hurt at his Iron exit, what he made of the club's victory over Crystal Palace and how he ended up playing in China, plus a look back at the 1990/91 season see the latest 'Whatever Happened To...' feature in Wednesday's Scunthorpe Telegraph.