Soldiering

[thewobbler]

I played my last game in 2021 as a 43 year old. Though I did tog out last season for one game when the reserves thought they'd be short but (thankfully) didn't end up that way.

My story is more of someone who was happy to fill in a hole for my club, pretty much all my life. I just like playing football.

I was a solid juvenile player but always lacked the pace (and in retrospect, probably the application and/or coachability) to play at any sort of representative level. Then somehow I got even slower (well, an increase in weight played a part in that lol) when I turned 20-21 years old. I took a year out around then and very nearly quit, then in 2002 decided that I enjoyed football too much not to give it a proper rattle.

I got a lot fitter, and then played quite a bit of senior football for 3 seasons, before recognising that the next crop of minors coming through were going to end that part of my career involuntarily, if I didn't jump first. So from 2005 I focused on reserve football only, including multiple stints as manager and player manager.

I retired completely in 2007 after a horror show game, when I could not summon the energy to run. Then returned as a goalkeeper in 2008, when we didn't have one. Even played goals for seniors a few times in 08 and 09.

I hung them up for good in 2011 with a newborn child, then returned to reserves in 2012, just to get out of the house when twins arrived. The good lady put an end to that in 2013, but after being liaison officer for Down Minor footballers in 2014 and 2015, I got a really strong urge to play again, and from 2016-19 (either side of 40 years old) I played a lot of reserve football, enjoying a roving role - one where I basically went were I wanted and played at my own pace. And if truth be told i probably kept a few younger lads out of the game in doing so, but I was having an Indian Summer and really enjoying it.  Apart from that first game back, when from my first touch for about 3 years (a clean catch at midfield) I got emptied on 3 sides as soon as hitting the ground. Watching football and coaching really doesn't prepare you for the pain of getting hit that hard. Or for the physical foibles felt for a few days afterwards.

The Covid era was what finally finished me off, before an injury inevitably would have. I was needed for some (usually faraway) games after that, but with 50 men often gathering up for training in Ballyholland in 2020 and 2021, there wasn't much call for an overweight fortysomething playing the game at his own pace.

Like a few people above, I know I've a game or two in me yet. Though I don't see it as a full forward like most people. I prefer to be constantly involved and surprising young fellas that this fat old mess can still run (slowly) for 60 minutes.  Oddly I've no interest at all in playing casual football / 5 a side. And my groin/hip is telling me continually to just burn my boots. But if the call comes to play for the Harps again, I'll be there.

I'm now coaching an u14 team. Of the 7 coaches, 5 of us played into our forties. An unusual set of circumstances I'd imagine. But our young players really can't doubt how much we love the game. It's just in us. Hopefully they both gain from this, and are as lucky with injuries.

[samuel maguire]

Lads catch a grip - Bar the odd, odd case, I doubt anyone over the age of 40 could lace the boots up and put in any sort of half decent shift anywhere out the field for any sort of senior/Intermediate or Junior football.

Reserves aye as its a bit of craic, but thats where it would end unfortunately

[brokencrossbar1]

Lads catch a grip - Bar the odd, odd case, I doubt anyone over the age of 40 could lace the boots up and put in any sort of half decent shift anywhere out the field for any sort of senior/Intermediate or Junior football.

Reserves aye as its a bit of craic, but thats where it would end unfortunately

In fairness I think any of us who think we have a game or 2 in us or 20 minutes are actually referring to playing at that level...even junior is a push for the fittest lad!

[samuel maguire]

Lads catch a grip - Bar the odd, odd case, I doubt anyone over the age of 40 could lace the boots up and put in any sort of half decent shift anywhere out the field for any sort of senior/Intermediate or Junior football.

Reserves aye as its a bit of craic, but thats where it would end unfortunately

In fairness I think any of us who think we have a game or 2 in us or 20 minutes are actually referring to playing at that level...even junior is a push for the fittest lad!

Ah i get ya!

Myown clun would yoyo between Junior and Intermediate - And the training and dedication alone at that level is ridiculous. Easily 5 nights a week, and that is only to be able to compete. 

[SpeculativeEffort]

Literally no advice about soldering here