A 72-year-old pensioner who still plays football weekly has become Britain’s oldest GOALKEEPER.
Colin Lee started playing football when he was just six and has now been hitting the pitch regularly for an incredible 66 YEARS.
He is secretary for eight teams in his home town of Northampton, including a veterans’ team which he also plays in each week.
“I’ve been told you have to be mad to be a goalie, so I guess I must be bordering on that as I’ve done it for so long,” he said. “I like chucking myself around the goal like a lunatic. I’ve had lots of bruises but amazingly I’ve never had any serious football injuries in nearly 70 years.”
Colin began kicking a ball in the playground when he was just six and joined his school team four years later. He has since played for six teams, initially as a centre half and for the last FIVE DECADES as a goalkeeper.
“When I first started playing I went in any position I could just to get a game,” he said. “But since 1949 I have played in goal, I just really enjoy it.”
Colin formed Thorplands Club 81, a Sunday League team with his workmates after he left the RAF in 1974. Since then he has established three additional adult teams, three youth teams and the RAF veterans’ team, which he set up to help older players exercise on a regular basis.
“I usually play at least 20 minutes in a match but I like to play for longer if I can,” he said. “I played a whole game a couple of weeks ago and I was creaking a bit afterwards. I have an exercise bike to keep fit at home between matches, which I use for 20 minutes a day and I do crunches on a bench. I still feel like a six-year-old boy at heart when I play, although my body tells me differently.”
Colin, who has only ever had a knee injury and some bruises throughout his lengthy amateur football career, even has plans to start a second veterans’ team next year so he can play more matches.
“I want to continue playing football for as long as I can,” added Colin, who has just been awarded the Barclays Community Sports Award for his community football work.
He also supports Wolverhampton as he grew up around the Midlands and it was one of the first matches his dad took him to watch. His all time football hero is Ryan Giggs, who plays for Manchester United and his top goalkeeper is Bert Williams, who played for England from 1941.
