Former Manchester City goalkeeper David James has come out of retirement at the age of 53 to feature for a Sunday League team and score a vital goal to aid their title push.
James, who made 572 Premier League appearances, played a one-off game for AFC Hutwood and scored a 25-yard free-kick to give them a 2-1 victory. He pulled on his shorts as a gesture of goodwill after the Sunday league side filled a donation box with boots.
He started the match in goal, but was moved into midfield for the second half as Hutwood faced Madeinheath United. And he managed to score the winning goal in what could be considered lucky circumstances, reports the Mirror.
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James took a free-kick just inside the Madeinheath half, aiming a shot at the goal. The ball bounced inside the box before hitting the post, bouncing off the goalkeeper and going into the net.
The Hutwood team quickly gathered around James, who raised his arms in joy. However, after the match, the former Portsmouth captain admitted that he had been pleading with his manager to take him off.
"I kept asking the manager to take me off. Luckily he didn't because we got a free-kick which I kicked towards the goal. It hit the post, then hit the goalkeeper and went in," James told BBC Radio Solent.
"The aim of the campaign is to keep football boots in the community. We want people who want to play football but maybe can't afford them to have them. The goal is for anyone to be able to play, no matter who you are."
His goal for Hutwood was James' first-ever in a competitive game,
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