Let us start with the former.

‘‘I had a beard when I was a young bloke – since I was 17 – so people used to call me ‘black beard’,’’ he said.

‘‘But now I’m a bit older and it’s turned grey, they just call me ‘beard’.’’

Beard will mark a milestone on Saturday when he runs onto the ground with Border Districts Football Club’s reserves side for his 550th match in senior football.

He can’t confirm whether his famous crop of facial hair has been there for each and every game.

The 550 games is a milestone Beard thought was beyond him, even in his younger years.

‘‘When I was in my late 20s I didn’t think I had much left in me,’’ he said.

‘‘I took up shearing in my mid-20s and it wasn’t a good mix.

‘‘There’s a lot of strain on your legs and I was worn out by the end of the week, but eventually I got better at shearing, and football got easier.

‘‘I wanted to keep playing in the seniors when I got to 200 games, and then when I got to 300 I was still in the seniors.’’

Beard’s 549 games include 302 for Goroke and 247 for Border Districts.

He made his senior debut at 17 and played seniors until he was 36.

Beard has helped Border Districts grow from the 1999 merger of Goroke and Border Districts football clubs.

‘‘I thought I’d go for a couple of years after the merger, and that was 16 years ago,’’ he said.

‘‘I just kept going, and I didn’t have many injuries. I was only ever out for a week at a time.’’

Beard played in three grand finals during his career – all at Goroke – in 1980, 1981, and 1998 in Goroke’s final year.

‘‘We had a very young and inexperienced side in 1980 and had a big run in the second half of the season to almost win the premiership after barely making finals,’’ he said.

The 1981 grand final was the only one Beard won, after the side went through the season undefeated.

Predominantly playing as a centre-half-back, Beard proved an effective swingman too.

He played forward for a few seasons, winning himself a handful of awards for the league’s leading goal-kicker.

He took out the reserves best and fairest for Border Districts at age 45.

‘‘These days it’s just about being part of it and being mates with the young guys,’’ he said.

‘‘I don’t get as many kicks as I used to, but I still enjoy being part of a win every now and again. It’s still good fun.’’