Oldest players

[welshbairn]

On the 10th of October 2015 Rothes fielded a 51 and 55 year old in a Highland League game against Wick which they lost 7-0. (thanks to Jimmy Shaker from Fitbanorth for the details). 

 

1. Is this a record in senior football?

2. Anyone tempted to tie on their boots again and head north? Still 3 games to play before rebuilding..maybe.

[cmontheloknow]

Heard of older in the Juniors but not sure about non-league seniors. Gus Malone was playing for Tayport last season and turned 56 in January.

[atfccfc]

Stanley Matthews played his last game for Stoke city on 6th February 1965 aged 50 years and 5 days. He made his debut for Stoke back on 19th March 1932.

[Mr Bairn]

Is Paul Mathers retired yet?

[HibeeJibee]

Mike Lawson, manager of Spartans at the time, brought himself on during their last league game of the season - but not their last game overall as they still had cup finals etc. afterwards, which appeared to be the defence of sparing players from injury or cards - at Vale of Leithen, on Saturday 14th May 2011. If his DoB on Wikipedia is correct, he was 9 days short of turning 62 years old.

 

Unsurprisingly this did not go down too well with some of the opposition players, supporters, and so on. After a few minutes he got elbowed in the face (accidentally I'm sure) and had to come off with a broken nose. There was actually a thread about it at the time, link below. He writes a managers blog too, might still be online somewhere.

 

http://www.pieandbovril.com/forum/index.php/topic/148423-mike-lawson/

 

 

As no records are kept at non-league level you will never be able to ascertain an actual record for Senior football, only checkout cases people recall or discover.

[Ivo den Bieman]

Bobby Brown was a regular for Broughty Athletic well into his 50s; better known for his senior career at Brechin in the late 80s and early 90s. He's still in the game, coaching at Carnoustie Panmure.

 

Stanley Matthews is the oldest player to play in the old English first division, but the oldest to turn out in the English leagues is a Scot, one Neil McBain; aged 51 years and 120 days when he appeared for the long defunct New Brighton in a Div 3 North game at the end of the 1940s.

 

Tommy Hutchison was turning out for Merthyr Tydfil in the conference at 47, in the mid 90s.

[Distant Doonhamer]

Ally McLeod came on as a sub for QOS in a reserve match v St Mirren at age 61. He took and scored a penalty in our 7-1 defeat.

Edited April 6, 2016 by Distant Doonhamer

[Ivo den Bieman]

That game was featured in an article in The Absolute Game, about reserve team football. Apparently QOS could barely put a starting XI on the park

[QPStu]

Certainly not a record but Andy Millen played several games for Queen's Park a few years ago at the age of 45. 

 

What age did Graeme Armstrong play until? Also, I seem to remember Harry Cairney playing for what seemed like forever for Brechin at an advanced age.

Edited April 6, 2016 by QPStu

[Distant Doonhamer]

That game was featured in an article in The Absolute Game, about reserve team football. Apparently QOS could barely put a starting XI on the park

Correct

[Cardinal Richelieu]

The Mighty Socrates came on for the last 12 minutes for a match for Garforth Town at the age of 50. 

[Skyline Drifter]

Ally McLeod came on as a sub for QOS in a reserve match v St Mirren at age 61. He took and scored a penalty in our 7-1 defeat.

I think he started the game did he not? He played three reserve games in a week or so at the back end of the season, the first two as a sub. He was forced to start the last one after a car crash caused four players not to arrive. I think we may have started with ten men.

[gav-ffc]

Davie irons still on the go?

[Distant Doonhamer]

I think he started the game did he not? He played three reserve games in a week or so at the back end of the season, the first two as a sub. He was forced to start the last one after a car crash caused four players not to arrive. I think we may have started with ten men.

Quite possibly. How I recall it and what actually happened aren`t necessarily the same thing

Either way quite a story and typical of the guy.

[AsimButtHitsASix]

Davie irons still on the go?

Him and Derek Collins played in a bounce match for our reserves while he was in charge.

[invergowrie arab]

Bobby Geddes played for Dundee v Raith in 2010 at 49, over 30 years after making his Dundee debut.

[LeedsPhil]

Not Senior football, but when I attended Kyle (of Lochalsh) v Plockton in the Skye & Lochalsh league on 9th May 2015, I was surprised that there was a press man there for such low level. He had come to photograph & interview Kyle player Bertie Urquhart, whose 62nd birthday it was that day. He had played for Plockton and for Kyle in five different decades.

Not just a passenger. As a full back he was getting stuck in, winning headers and tackles etc.

And presumably he played on in further matches after my visit.

.

[TheScarf]

Kazuyoshi Miura is 53 and still plays in the J League.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazuyoshi_Miura