Septuagenarian footballer to play in 'World Cup'

Drew Warren said he had been playing football since childhood

A footballer who has been playing since he was child is getting ready for the Over-75s World Cup in Japan.

Drew Warre, from Yelford near Witney, Oxfordshire, will represent England in the Veterans Football World Cup, taking place in Tokyo from 1 until 3 October.

The team is aiming to retain their title, after the squad beat host side Wales in a penalty shoot-out to win in 2024.

The 75-year-old said his friends and family were all "very supportive and quite excited" for him.

Mr Warren will represent England in the Over-75s World Cup tournament in Tokyo

The over-75s division is part of the World Soccer Festa 70Plus - an international football tournament for veterans, which also includes the over-70s and over-80s teams.

It will take place at Komazawa Olympic Park (KOP) and also includes sides from Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Germany, Wales and the USA.

The Over-75s squad will play two one-hour matches each day - Japan and Germany on day one and then Taiwan and the USA on day two.

Mr Warren has been in Japan for more than a week, spending four days in Kyoto and said he had been enjoying rides on the bullet train and sampling the local cuisine.

"I tried seafood stew a couple of nights ago, that was quite interesting," he said.

He's been playing football since childhood.

"I played for Aston for a few years, then had a rest, concentrating on the business and then started again with Witney Royals," he explained.

"When I was 50, the lad came home from uni, started playing, I went along for training - before I knew it, I was playing again."

He said he kept his fitness level "reasonable" with regular training in Thame and Tilsley Park in Abingdon.

"I also play football most Thursday nights with some lads on the Witney ATP," Mr Warren said.

"To have that hour of football with those lads who are a bit quick keeps me on my toes."