One of Britain’s oldest footballers is still pulling on his boots once a week to play for his local side – at the age of 70-YEARS-OLD.
While teenage England starlet Raheem Sterling claimed to be “too tired” to play for his country the other week, sprightly John Payne still manages to turn out for his five-a-side team.
The retired financial advisor is proving a goal-den oldie every Thursday evening running rings around opposition players 40 years his junior.
The midfielder laces up his boots to play 30-minute long competitive matches on the Astroturf at Redhill School in Stourbridge, West Mids.
Carried on playing
John said he decided to carry on playing the beautiful game with men aged in their 30s and 40s – after all of his friends retired because they were too old.
The pensioner, whose footballing career spans an impressive 60 years, said: “They’ve all got injuries, or got too old for it, but I’ve just kept on going.
“There’s a new group of people who play now that we have picked up along the way and it still gets quite competitive.
“Most of them are in their 30s, there might be one or two in their 40s but I’m the oldest by a long way.
“I should think I’m probably the oldest footballer in the area if not further afield.
“I haven’t seen anyone near my age having a game.”
Birmingham City fan John started off playing football at school when he was just 10-years-old.
He was on the books of Premier League side Aston Villa when he was a teenager over five decades ago.
John then went on to enjoy a long career in amateur football, playing for Redditch, Banbury and Bromsgrove before eventually retiring aged 38.
He even faced Ajax on a tour of Holland when he represented Birmingham for the Federation of Boys’ Clubs.
Hammered
John started up his own team in 1963, called Northfield Dynamo but quit after they started “getting hammered” each week.
But after retiring from his job at the age of 55, John dusted off his boots and started playing five-a-side football again with pals.
Now he is still turning out for the Thursday night matches 15 years later.
John, who lives in Wordsley, West Mids., added: “I started off as an inside right forward, but eventually got moved back into midfield.
“I stopped playing properly when I was about 38, but after retiring I had a bit more time on my hands so started up again.
“I always keep myself fit and go down to the gym twice a week.
“I just love playing the game.”
