Add Category
Former Socceroo Ernie Campbell reckons he's been playing football non-stop since he was 12 years old.
The 74-year-old enjoyed a steady climb to the top of the game, beginning in 1965 when he was picked as a 15-year-old to play for top tier English football club Chelsea.
He would debut for the Australian national side in 1972 and play at the FIFA World Cup in 1974 — the first and last one before Australia's near 40-year gap between appearances.
Now, 50 years later, he's heading to another international football tournament.
Mr Campbell is defying age and a "dodgy knee" to lace up his boots with the Australian over 70s team, the Oldyroos, to play at the Veteran's World Cup in Cardiff.
He says the game is just as skilled as it was back in the day, but the fitness and the speed is different.
"They tend to play a lot of kick and rush, rather than someone put their foot on the ball and slow the game down and build up," Mr Campbell said.
Mr Campbell hopes he might get another crack at the players Australia faced at the 1974 World Cup from West Germany, East Germany, and Chile.
"I don't know if they're playing or still kicking around, but I'm sure there will be a few there," he said.
Aged competition levels the playing field
At 79, Bathurst-based Robin Hall is the oldest member of the team.
Due to a lack of masters teams in the area he plays in an all ages team in which there is a 60-year age gap between him and some of the other players.
He says he tries to pass the ball as soon as possible. But things are far more balanced when he plays over 70s games.
"Because it's possible when you're playing against players of the same age to try doing the same things … beating them or dispossessing a player one-versus-one," Mr Hall said.
"This is like playing in the schoolyard again."
No official support
Although they represent Australia the team are not organised by any official sporting bodies and is managed by one of its players, Keith Pierce.
Mr Pierce is no stranger to organising older men's football, having also started OASIS (Older and Still Interested in Soccer) Masters Football for players over 60.
He says he started the group after finding out none of football's governing bodies were looking after football for people over the age of 60.
Mr Pierce, 70, arranged the team for last year's Veteran's World Cup event in Thailand where they won a bronze medal.
"When I found out there was an over 70s world cup I thought Australia has to have a team in it," Mr Pierce said.
"I've never been a good player, I would never even get picked for any rep side.
"But here I am playing for Australia."
A spokesperson for Football Australia said the organisation had limited resources that needed to be allocated amongst men's, women's, junior, and para teams.
"While we do not provide direct financial support we are open to exploring non-financial ways to support senior footballing organisations," a spokesperson said.
"This can include providing access to facilities, promoting senior football events through our communication channels, and offering administrative or logistical advice."
Risk of injury discouraging participation
Around 1.1 million Australians over 15 years of age play football but just one per cent of those male players are over 65, according to a national survey by the Australian Sports Commission.
In contrast, the AusPlay survey identified that 28 per cent of players are males between 15 and 24 years old.
Dr Lyndell Bruce, a senior lecturer in sports science at Deakin University, says the drop off in sports participation may be down to a perceived increased risk of injury.
"Your risk of injury does increase due to a decline in your physical and cognitive abilities," Dr Bruce said.
"You do lose strength, you can lose endurance, and some of your perceptual cognitive skills also go, so [your] reaction time slows."
Dr Bruce says this has led to the growth of lower-risk sports like walking netball and football in aging populations.
'You don't stop'
Mr Pierce has no intention of becoming one of those people who stop playing.
He has his eyes on playing in the over 80s category of the world cup event, which has been added to the program from next year when it is being held in Japan.
"Every year I think this might be my last year, but I haven't stopped," Mr Pierce said.
"Hopefully my knees and my body keeps on going."
Ernie Campbell says his "final year" has been going for five years.
Like Mr Pierce and many of his fellow older players, he wants the keep the journey going for as long as he, and that "dodgy knee", physically can.
"I think the secret is you don't stop," he said.
"As long as you can keep going and manage your injuries and be realistic about what you can do and what you can't do, the secret's there — you don't stop."
Sports content to make you think... or allow you not to. A newsletter delivered each Saturday.