Last active player to have played at Telford Street

[ictchris]

I see that Ross Tokely has made a comeback as a player, signing for Nairn County.  I remember him playing for us at Telford Street in 1996, it made me think - are there any other active players in senior football who played at Telford Street? 

[Scotty]

Last game at Telford Street was October 20th, 1996 against a Highland League Select. ICT team that day was :  McMillan, Teasdale, Hastings, Hercher, Benson, Bennett, Wilson, Tokely, Thomson, McLean, De Barros.   Subs: Ross, Christie, Sinclair, MacArthur, Noble (all subs used during game)

Only players in the squad that year in the same (u20) age range as Ross were Wayne Addicoat and Neal Sinclair. Everyone else would now be closing in on, or already in their 50s 

[Caleyjag]

Man alive Scotty that last sentence made me feel old! I had a season ticket for our last 3-4 years at Telford St and it doesn't feel that long ago. Tokely is a couple of years older than me at 43, will he still do a job in the Highland League, does anyone know?

[The Mantis]

On 10/29/2022 at 10:31 AM, Caleyjag said:

Man alive Scotty that last sentence made me feel old! I had a season ticket for our last 3-4 years at Telford St and it doesn't feel that long ago. Tokely is a couple of years older than me at 43, will he still do a job in the Highland League, does anyone know?

I think big Rossco will be at risk of a coronary and he’s a lot fatter than me from recent photos
I remember playing in a one-off 5 a side game with a load of young teachers when I was that age. They were just running past you as if you weren’t there

[+Gringo]

For the life of me, I can't see why he would want to carry on playing even at HL level. I hope he doesn't kill himself doing it. A strange decision for me.

[Scotty]

Its an off the wall comparison, and I am sure Rossco would be elated to be compared to him, but Zlatan Ibrahimovic is still playing at the very top level at the age of 41. I was witness to his time in MLS with LA Galaxy where he scored his 500th career goal in Toronto at the TFC supporters section end (and a thing of beauty it was too - even though he ended up on the losing side thankfully). Even after LA he was not ready to retire and headed to Serie A which is pretty impressive considering everyone in Europe seems to regard MLS as a retirement league (it is not). The point is that he looks after himself, has a football brain, and still able to function at that level. There are games in the last few years, where even past 40 he is still outshining all the 20 somethings around him. If he dropped down to Serie B or C (not that he would - ego would not allow it) he could likely play until he was late 40s.     

I remember Rossco's playing career with fondness and one of the things about that is people wrote him off year after year, each time we got promoted. Even after he had been part of the team from the bottom division all the way to the Premiership people still questioned his reliability and his football pedigree. Its economies of scale, and he has put a little more beef on than Zlatan, but I don't see why Rossco can't still play in the HFL if he has the desire?  He has had a gradual slide down the ranks of the leagues in terms of teams played for ... us of course, then County, Brora, St Duthus, Loch Ness, and now a step back in league terms to Nairn. If he is enjoying his football, is remaining fit, and not getting injured then why not.  

[Yngwie]

Ah, but did Zlatan actually play at Telford Street or did Alan Hercher keep him out of the team?!

[Scotty]

18 minutes ago, Yngwie said:

Ah, but did Zlatan actually play at Telford Street or did Alan Hercher keep him out of the team?!

True - think Herchie and Rosscoe have that on him ... don't believe Zlatan ever played at the MaraCanal 

[IBM]

Here is the report from the Courier today.  We could do with him back just now