I went to watch Matlock Town on Saturday, and they had ex-every-team-in-the-East-Midlands-and-Portsmouth striker Craig Westcarr playing up front. I had committed to adding him to this thread before I realised he's two years younger than me at 33. It's a sad day.
During his time at Kettering, Westcarr played against Southport a number of times. Following this one of the people I used to go to matches with coined the phrase "Craig Westcarritis". Absolutely no recollection of what the symptoms are.
Cole played more than eighty games for the Rowdies over the course of three seasons.
I went to a couple of them, he was playing at a pace that suited him and he was still effective. Playing in St.Petersburg he’d have had a fucking great lifestyle too.
Although there are quite a few ex-EFL players out there I’m still surprised that more of them don’t consider the USL/NASL as a career extending option.
Ex U21 French international (and ex Nantes, Nice, Lorient) Marama Vahirua, 38, still playing, for Tahitian club AS Dragon (his cousin Pascal Vahirua is probably more well-known abroad). Some of you, the more internationally-discerning OFTers on here, may remember him for his unusual and goal celebration routine, very Tahitian, clips below.
Marama Vahirua was actually playing in mainland France this weekend with his team AS Dragon for the 7th round of the French Cup, vs FC Versailles (5th tier of French football, amateurs/semi-pros). The Polynesians lost 2-0.
A game high in vintage value actually as there was also another (in)famous former pro on the pitch (playing for Versailles): the disgraced former Liverpool goalkeeper...
WARNING : DO NOT LOOK BELOW IF YOU’RE STILL FUMING AND THINK YOU KNOW WHO I MEAN.
... Charles Itandje (36, ex Lens, France U21 and Cameroon, WC 2014).
...wearing a pair of Stoke City shorts, which is odd considering he never played for them and I doubt there's much demand for replicas in the French market.
Another Vahirua fact: he took the corner which lead to Tahiti's only goal at the 2013 Confederations Cup.
Saw Jamie Cureton playing on Monday for Bishops Stortford. He played the full 90 minutes and was, by some distance Bishops Stortford's most dangerous attacking player - including creating their only goal of the night.
Although there's several veteran players plying their trade at this level, there's relatively few over 40s. To see a 43 year-old leading the division's top scorer charts is pretty astonishing. Haringey's opening goal was scored by someone who was born four years after Cureton made his Premier League debut.
The first substitute on for Southport this afternoon was Alex Russell, previously of Rochdale, Torquay and Cambridge amongst others. Russell, now 45, last played for Clevedon Town five years ago. He had a brief spell as Southport assistant manager in the intervening period.
Alex Russell's father, also called Alex, made over 250 appearances for Southport and made his debut for the club in 1963. I wonder if there has been any longer period between a father and son making debuts for the same club.
One time Cardiff and Shrewsbury reserve, and subsequently Welsh football journeyman keeper, Lee Kendall, was named on the bench by Barry Town today. He hasn't played first team football since 2012, according to Wikipedia. He's on the staff at Barry. He's also about 5 years younger then me.
I know he's something of a Champions/Europa League regular but it's still a shock to see 37 year old Alexander Hleb turning out for BATE Borisov. Is this the first time he's played against Arsenal for them?
It's 5th spell with BATE, but he wasn't there last season when the clubs met in the group stage.
However he did play against them while on loan at Birmingham in 2011, coming on as sub in a 3-0 home defeat. However he then got injured and missed their league cup final meeting.
He was a fine player at Arsenal, and admits himself that he should never have left for Barcelona.
Yes, I remember his return for Birmingham but thought this must be the first time for BATE. I recall him playing for them against another PL club a while back, Chelsea?
It's not so much that I'm surprised he's still playing, but I am absolutely amazed that Honved's David N'Gog still has a week to go until he turns 30. He was yesterday's man yesterday, in my mind's eye he should be about 36.
Already mentioned in the National League thread, but Kevin Lisbie, now 40, who once scored a Premier League hat-trick for The Addicks v Liverpool, still turns out for step 5 SCEFL side Cray Valley Paper Mills. They booked their place in the FA Vase final at Wembley yesterday.
Already mentioned in the National League thread, but Kevin Lisbie, now 40, who once scored a Premier League hat-trick for The Addicks v Liverpool, still turns out for step 5 SCEFL side Cray Valley Paper Mills. They booked their place in the FA Vase final at Wembley yesterday.
According to wiki he's managed 23 goals in 25 games so far this season too!
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