Veterans gear up for World Cup glory
With the Veterans World Cup underway in Cardiff, some of Wales' best over-70 footballers are aiming for global glory.
The event, which will take place in the city's Llanrumney area from Tuesday, will involve teams from Australia, Norway, Germany, Denmark and the United States and will run over four days.
The players said it was a “great honour” to represent Wales and that it showed there is no age limit when it comes to representing your country.
“None of us ever thought we'd play for Wales and now here we are in our 70s,” said Wales captain Mark Entwistle, 75.
Two separate competitions will be held: an over-70s 11-a-side tournament and an over-75s sevens cup, which will be played on smaller pitches.
“With games going on all around us there's no time to catch our breath and we have to give it our all,” Entwistle said.
Mark Entwistle said no one in his team expected to represent Wales.
Ryland Wallace, 73, plays in midfield and said this will be his third World Cup appearance this year after two other cricket tournaments.
“I've just come back from playing the Over-60 World Cup in India and Over-70 World Cup cricket in England. It's a different game this time so I'll be doing my best in Cardiff.”
“For me, it's all a bonus. At 73, I know I'm in extra time.”
“It's been great. I just want to stay healthy. I always say in between injuries, but a lot of us are playing through some kind of injury.”
Retired pastor Keith Beardsmore is 81 and the oldest player in the tournament.
Retired pastor Keith Beardmore, 81, said the team has been practicing hard in recent weeks.
“When you see that space, you've got to run towards it,” he added.
Over-75 manager Jimmy Mullen said he was putting his players through rigorous training.
Former Cardiff City and Burnley manager Jimmy Mullen has been training Wales' two over-75 teams, Wales and Cymru, for the tournament, which will see two matches a day, lasting around an hour each, under the direction of manager Tim Bowker.
He said the players would be proud to be able to say they represented their country.
It will be the first time Cardiff has hosted the tournament, which will be held in Japan next year.
Keith Hughes, 80, lives in Wrexham and travels regularly to Cardiff to train.
Between World Cup training and another tournament in Rhyl, he saw AC/DC in Dublin the weekend before the games started.
“I've travelled more than Judith Chalmers,” he said, referring to the adventures of the travel journalist while filming the show in the 1970s and '80s.
The tournament has so far been held in Denmark and Thailand, and next year it will be held in Japan, with a category for those aged 80 and over also planned.
