Clubs at Collingwood don't get much more exclusive than this – the 300 Club.

So far only two players of the 1236 to have represented the Magpies since 1892 have clocked up 300 games in the black and white – Gordon Coventry and Tony Shaw. On Friday night, Scott Pendlebury becomes the third.

So let's have a quick look back at the previous two times we've celebrated this landmark.

Gordon Coventry became the first man not only at Collingwood but also in the VFL to break the magical 300-game barrier on 31 July 1937, in the Round 15 game against Footscray at the Western Oval.

Even though football marketing was a vastly different game back then, a couple of savvy marketers decided to make the most of the occasion.

The Age newspaper produced a special poster which they gave away to readers who collected coupons for three successive days.

And the football club itself produced a special postcard which they sold at home games for a shilling each to raise money for Coventry's testimonial.

The game itself was not one of Coventry's best, kicking just two goals as the Pies demolished the Dogs by 52 points (including a 10-goal first quarter). The Age recorded the celebrations to mark Coventry's achievement this way:

"On entering tho field there was a most gratifying tribute of applause, and there was more to follow when Morrison, the local captain, lined up his "Bulldogs" and called for cheers. A deafening burst of applause came from 10,000 throats – a most eloquent and fitting tribute to one who has embellished the game for so long."

It's hard to see Joel Selwood and the Geelong fans doing that next Friday night. 

After the game, the Footscray President and officials came into the Collingwood rooms and presented Nuts with the match ball.

After a number of heartfelt speeches, Gordon replied simply: "I thank you and your boys most sincerely for this fine sporting gesture." Later that night he hopped on a boat to travel to Tasmania where he and his teammates were scheduled to play in an exhibition match against Geelong.

The Herald newspaper said later it was unlikely that Coventry's games tally would ever be surpassed.

As we know, that proved to be far from the case. In fact by the time Tony Shaw passed the 300 mark on the 20^th of May 1994, in the Round 9 game against North Melbourne at the MCG, nearly 30 others had joined Coventry in the 300 club.

Shawry did likewise in a game that was high on pomp and ceremony – though not for the nuggetty midfielder. Instead it was North Melbourne's 125^th anniversary that prompted the literal fireworks.

The game itself gave less cause for celebration, at least from our point of view, with the Pies going down by 33 points. Shawry had 25 touches, slightly down from his usual prolific standards.

There was a commemorative badge produced, but most of the hoopla was reserved for the moment seven weeks later when he broke Coventry's games record of 306 (that led to major function to celebrate his career). Shawry finished the year, and his career, on 313 games.

It's worth noting that Gordon Coventry was nearing 36 when he played his 300^th (35 years and 309 days). Shawry was nearing 34 (33 years 301 days). Both retired at the end of the seasons in which they crossed the 300 mark.

But Pendles is only 31, and won't hit 32 until early next year. And he's still playing great footy. Which suggests that – injuries permitting – he's still got plenty of time not just to break Shawry's games record but also to extend it a fair bit further.