'Champion losers' from 1973 beaten in Little Downham anniversary match

The Downham Feoffees Under-10 team were named as "champion losers" in the Daily Mirror

A school football team that became famous as "champion losers" has reunited for 50th anniversary match.

The under-10s from Downham Feoffees Primary School, Cambridgeshire, were pictured in 1973 in the Daily Mirror, which told how they "soldiered on" despite not winning a game.

The players, many now aged 60, meet up every 10 years to play again and lost Saturday's game 6-2.

"We are very consistent," joked player Brian King.

The opposition in the reunion matches is always made up of children of the 1973 squad.

Though some of the original players still live locally, others travelled from Yorkshire and Oxfordshire, while Mr King made the trip from Seattle in the United States.

"This is my roots, this is my home." he said. "I've always loved coming back and I'm grateful to have been able to combine playing with seeing some family."

Keith Missin said the team may have failed to win any matches "but our hearts were in the right places"

Keith Missin, who organises the reunion matches and still lives in Little Downham, said: "When you hit 60 you know what to do, but your body won't allow it."

Mr Missin said he hoped there would be another reunion match in 2033, but suggested the agility of his teammates might "resemble Subbuteo" players.

He said he still remembered the 1973 season, when the team failed to win any matches "but our hearts were in the right place".

He said the age of some of the 1973 squad was one of the problems: "There weren't enough people from our year and we had to have younger people, so we've got some babies playing [this year] who are only 57 or 58!"

The team was named "Team of the Month" by the Daily Mirror and given prizes including England football kits.

The team, pictures in 2013, lined up again, 10 years on