How the EFL's 'best sleeper' is thriving at 34

"I always joke that I'm the best sleeper in the EFL," says Carl Piergianni.

The Stevenage captain has forged a reputation as one of lower league football's most consistent defenders, but believes there is no real secret to his success.

That is despite a career that has seen the 34-year-old rack up numerous personal accolades, including a place in last season's PFA League One team of the season., external

Piergianni said such awards are a by-product of "playing in some really good teams", but he is happy to take credit for how his commitment to recovery, rest and self-improvement away from the pitch has helped him reach the peak of his career in his mid-30s.

"I don't think that is down to chance," he told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"People who know me know how serious I take my life outside away from the training pitch."

"[Sleeping well] is part of the reason to why I'm fit and available and healthy every day. I do everything possible to look after myself."

It is a stance borne out by Piergianni's numbers, with The Boro centre-back having missed no more than a handful of games since joining in 2022.

"Every year after 30 have been the best years of my playing career, last year was probably the best of my playing career," he said.

"I'm setting new records for myself in terms of numbers from a speed point of view," added Piergianni, who said he "prided himself" on trying to win "every single header" he could.

"It's no problem at the moment, so I'm going to keep going on. I don't know why people slow down after 30, I'm the opposite. I'm trying to do as much training as I can to stay as fit, ready and available as I can."

To understand Piergianni's motivation, it is perhaps most important to study his path to plying a trade in the third tier of English football.

He was a product of Peterborough's academy, but made just one short substitute appearance for Posh before spending most of the 2010s playing non-league football for clubs including Stockport, Corby Town and Boston United.

It was not until he won National League promotion with Salford City in 2019 that he would play again in the EFL.

By then, he was 27. But he has made the most of his opportunity.

"I've come from non-league and working a 9-5 job." Piergianni explained.

"I don't take it for granted. It's been an unbelievable journey.

"There's a bit of learning in there for me, I had a huge goal of getting to the EFL. When I did it with Salford, that first year was probably my worst season.

"I got there and didn't really move the goalposts. I didn't adjust [my ambition]."

Fortunately, the move to Broadhall Way could hardly have gone better.

In addition to PFA recognition for his performances last season, Piergianni also featured in both the PFA and League Two team of the season as Boro won promotion in 2022-23, and has won the club's player of the season award in both 2023 and 2024.

He said: "When I got to League One with Stevenage. I thought I'm not changing, I'm going to be as aggressive if not more aggressive in the air, do what I do and it's helped me throughout my career.

"I see so many people get to their mid-20s and stop having that willingness to get better. I'm 34 now, I'm still trying to improve and still trying to get better.

"You can make yourself so much better. You can be a completely different footballer to what you were five or 10 years ago."