Kegs Chauke, Burton Albion's South African midfielder, has reached a century of appearances for the club. The 23-year-old reached the milestone in the Brewers' fixture against Oxford United last Saturday.

"It's a proud moment for me to reach 100 appearances," said Chauke. "It's not something that comes around every day, so to do that for this football club is definitely a proud moment."

Longest-serving player at the Pirelli Stadium

Chauke is now the longest-serving player at the club and is in his fourth season at the Pirelli Stadium. "I didn't think it would pan out this way with me being the longest serving player and to reach 100 appearances," he said. "I'm in a good place and I'm happy to still be here."

Three quarters of Chauke's 100 appearances have come under current head coach Gary Bowyer. When Bowyer arrived, Chauke played 12 consecutive starts, a period that proved transformative for his career at the club.

"I think he's been massive for my time here," said Chauke of Bowyer's influence. "In the first season I didn't really play much, but it's all been a part of the process. When he came in, it felt like a new start. To play that many consecutive games is always a good feeling and I want to continue doing that."

Key milestones

During the fourth game of Bowyer's 12-game streak with Chauke, the midfielder scored his first EFL league goal in a 2-2 draw against Peterborough United at the Pirelli Stadium. "My first league goal was a milestone," Chauke reflected. "Fortunately now others have come with it. These are the sorts of things you have to remember."

Another significant moment came almost a year later when Chauke captained the side at Plymouth Argyle in a Sky Bet League One fixture at the age of 22. "To have captained the side at that age was definitely a good experience for me," he said. "It's something that you don't really think about in the moment, but looking back now it's definitely something that I cherish."

Chauke has accumulated just under 7,500 minutes in the amber and black. "The main thing for me is to always try and be available and be ready to start as many games as possible," he said. "To have that many minutes already is something that I want to continue doing and keep pushing forward."

Fan support

The midfielder has become a key part of Bowyer's system and has earned recognition from supporters, who have created a chant for him set to the tune of 'Zombie'. "I always enjoy hearing them singing my song before and during the games," said Chauke. "It's a relationship that I'm really grateful for; it makes me want to give back to them and it gives me that extra little boost."