Football team reunite 59 years on from league win

Springfield Youth Club Old Boys won the Wolverhampton Amateur League in 1965

Members of a disbanded amateur football team are reuniting 59 years on from winning the Wolverhampton Amateur League.

Springfield Youth Club Old Boys clinched the title in 1965, scoring 200 goals in the process, which was a record at the time.

James Barrett, who played inside right, is one of seven players still alive from that triumphant season who will meet on Thursday.

Discussing his amateur career and love for the sport, he said: "I always loved football. I didn’t get married until I was 40 because I did not have room for another love."

The 84-year-old from Wolverhampton is now retired but used to work as a mechanical fitter in an iron foundry whenever he was not on the football pitch.

After entering the Wolverhampton Amateur League, Springfield Youth Club Old Boys lost their first game 16-1.

They also went on to lose many of their games that season as they adapted to playing against grown men.

"It was a shock to the system. We thought we would just walk on and win, like we did in the youth league. We lost a lot of games," recalled Mr Barrett.

Mr Barrett said he postponed marriage to concentrate on his love for football

But from 1963, the team became "feared" by the league and a year later they won their league title.

The team's success could not be maintained though, as key players started getting married and having less time for football, leading to the team disbanding.

Many players have since passed away, including Mr Barrett's best friend John Hinds who captained the team.

Those who remain have stayed in touch and now meet up twice a year at Christmas and in the summer.

Mr Barrett said: "We are a good bunch of lads... [we share] memories of what we used to do and what we used to get up to."