Bolt Joins Vets Squad
Usain Bolt Registers to Play for Star-Studded Wythenshawe Veterans Football Club
Key Points
Bolt scored twice on his first start for Central Coast Mariners in a 2018 pre-season friendly against Macarthur South West, illustrating his persistence in pursuing football at a high level after athletics.
Before joining Mariners, Bolt reportedly rejected a two-year contract offer from Maltese club Valletta, a decision that preceded his brief stint in Australia and eventual registration with Wythenshawe Vets.
Marc Albrighton is listed among the players for Wythenshawe Vets, adding to a squad that already features several former Premier League players.
The Guardian notes that last season Wythenshawe Vets’ squad accumulated more than 1,800 English top-flight appearances between its members, underscoring the club’s storied pedigree for a Sunday veterans side.
BBC Sport reported that Bolt could line up for Wythenshawe Vets and that the club had not officially announced his registration, highlighting ongoing uncertainty about the formal confirmation of the move.
Usain Bolt, the eight-time Olympic sprint champion, has registered to play for Wythenshawe Vets FC, a star-studded Sunday league side in south Manchester's Cheshire Veterans League Manchester Evening News. The 40-year-old Jamaican sprinter joins a squad already featuring former Premier League players like Emile Heskey, Antonio Valencia, Papiss Cissé, Stephen Ireland, Nedum Onuoha, Joleon Lescott, and Danny Drinkwater Daily Mail. Bolt's registration appears on the Football Association's Full-Time website, though the club has not yet formally announced his involvement BBC Sport.
Bolt has pursued football seriously since retiring from athletics in 2017. He trained with German club Borussia Dortmund and Norwegian side Strömsgodset before signing with Australia's Central Coast Mariners in 2018, where he scored twice in a pre-season friendly Manchester Evening News. Bolt remains active in soccer charity events like Soccer Aid, showing his ongoing passion for the sport beyond his track legacy.
A Veteran Squad Packed With Former Stars
Wythenshawe Vets competes in the Premier Division of the Cheshire Veterans Football League as a team for players over 35. The squad boasts remarkable pedigree: The Guardian noted that last season the players combined for more than 1,800 English top-flight appearances The Guardian. Beyond the players already mentioned, Marc Albrighton is also listed on the roster, adding to the club's collection of former Premier League talent.
Bolt's Path From Track to Football
Before joining Wythenshawe, Bolt rejected a two-year contract offer from Maltese club Valletta. That decision paved the way for his 2018 move to Central Coast Mariners in Australia. In a pre-season friendly against Macarthur South West, Bolt scored twice on his first start, proving he could contribute on the pitch Daily Mail. Though his stint in Australia was brief, it demonstrated his serious commitment to football after leaving elite track competition.
Official Confirmation Still Awaited From Club
While Bolt's registration appears on the FA's Full-Time website, Wythenshawe Vets has not formally announced the signing BBC Sport. Head Topics reported that Bolt expressed interest in joining the club in January, but the lack of an official club statement leaves some uncertainty. Bolt himself has indicated he is ready to play if he can get into proper match fitness, underscoring his casual but competitive approach to the sport Manchester Evening News.
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