Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams is closing in on second place on the all-time list of starts in South African domestic football and is just shy of one of the great legends of the local game.

His appearance in Friday’s CAF Champions League clash against Al Hilal of Sudan was his 515th in South African football.

That puts him only five games away from moving into second place on the all-time list of players’ appearances, going past Kaizer Chiefs legend Neil Tovey, who finished his career with 519 league and cup starts in the pre-Premier Soccer League era.

If Williams continues to play all the matches for Sundowns in the coming weeks, he should reach 520 appearances in the Champions League clash against Rulani Mokwena’s Mouloudia Alger on February 13.

Alternatively, if he is rested in the Nedbank Cup first round, the milestone could be reached in the top-of-the-table clash against Orlando Pirates five days later.

The record for the most league and cup appearances in this country’s professional football history is held by Edries Burton.

The defender, who won two Bafana Bafana caps five years apart, finished his career at the age of 38 with 592 league and cup starts for Santos, Cape Town Spurs and AmaZulu in a professional career spanning 17 seasons.

He might have passed the 600-game mark had his coach at the time, Roger de Sa, not benched him for much of his final season as he opted to go with younger talent.

The figures do not include appearances as a substitute.

Williams would probably only pass that milestone in two seasons’ time if he manages to stay fit and retain his place in the team.

Williams had just turned 19 when he made his debut for SuperSport United in CAF Champions League action and is now in his 16th season, the first 12 of which were spent at the now-defunct SuperSport United.

Williams last season passed the mark for the most appearances by a goalkeeper, previously set by Moeneeb Josephs.