For the love of the game

Bill, I met him twenty years ago when I first arrived in Australia.

Back then he was playing in the Independent Inner North Mixed Social comp at the local gym on a Monday night. A Long season, and a Short season and a few weeks break in between. Basically twelve months non-stop football.

Anyway Bill had babies, you know what I mean, and around the age of 40 he stopped playing. Too hard, kids too young, and the creaking knees.

Well at the age of 49 Bill is back, after a seven year break. Filled in to do a favour occasionally but this season he is the man. Every week, every Monday lust like in his late twenties!

"I'm a good goalie, well not bad. But I let two in the other night in the first minute, the captain swapped himself with me. There was no way it was my fault, the shots were just too hard. Anyway we lost 8-2 and the captain let in the rest, "smiled Bill

Why do we come back for one more game! Why do we still want to be blameless in defeat, or valued on the team?

Well, anyway good luck Bill, here's hoping you make it to 50, just like Sir Stanley Matthews, and yes Bill, you're shorts are as long as his but that's okay, coz the fashion has caught up with you.

Bill assures me there is at least one guy older than him in the comp.

You're just never too old to play some level of football are you?