England v Germany veterans game marks 1966 World Cup anniversary with powerful message about later life fitness  

Documentary follows England’s Veteran Over 75s as they overcome strokes, cancer and bypass surgery to be fit for historic rematch with Germany this July. 

England’s Veteran Over 75s football team have announced they will mark the 60th anniversary of England’s victory over Germany with a commemorative match against their European rivals. The game was the brainchild of filmmaker and York St John University academic Tracy Willits. Tracy, whose uncle plays for the veteran side, believes the team have a unique story to tell about how fitness, social connections and passion are key to aging well.  

Acclaimed director Tracy has a background in health documentaries for television. In this latest project she and her team, including students from York St John, are following the England veterans on their road to the Germany match in July. The match, team and documentary are supported by England’s legendary World Cup scorer Sir Geoff Hurst MBE. 

The official veterans team, aka the Silver Lions, hail from right across England and are an incredible line up of characters. Those on the team sheet include an ex-magician, mathematician and current team manager who was at the 1966 final; an 80-year-old nominee for Guernsey’s sports personality of the year; a beloved BBC radio presenter and former punk singer, and ‘International Johnny’ from Grimsby. 

The Silver Lions have collectively faced a raft of health issues including quadruple heart bypass, stroke and eye cancer but are all determined to be match fit. The documentary will see team members being fitness checked by York St John University’s Institute for Health and Care Inclusion (IHCI). The team and their progress as ‘super agers’ will also form part of a study about communicating the benefits of healthy ageing. 

The documentary is a collaborative production exploring an issue of pressing urgency to society - men in England currently die an average of four years earlier than women - living a fifth of their life in poor health. A recent report by the Health and Social Care Committee states that physical activity should be at the heart of the NHS’s support for older people and is as important as providing medication. 

The match itself will take place at Boundary Park, Oldham at 3pm on 30 July, the exact anniversary of England’s famous victory. It will be a standard 90-minute match, played at a running pace rather than the walking format that is more common among this age group. The two sides will be cheered on by a crowd of more than 5,000 supporters led by not WAGs but WOOFs (Wives of Older Footballers). 

Ken Pollock, manager of England Veterans Over 75s said: 

“I never imagined doing this when I was on the terraces for all the 66 World Cup games at Wembley and the White City.  

“Football has helped me live a longer and happier life and I guess what we are trying to do is to pass a recognition of those advantages onto others. There is a real need for us to be thinking seriously about what we're doing to keep ourselves fit, to give ourselves healthy and long lives." 

Tracy Willits, Senior Lecturer in Media Production at York St John University and niece of one of the Silver Lions said:  

"I want the documentary to shine a light on an extraordinary group of men who are defying the challenges of old age to play football at the highest level. It is my hope that this will be inspirational for anyone in later life to become more active and to enjoy a longer and more fulfilling retirement.   

“It's been an honour to work with the team to observe their strength and resilience as well as their infectious enthusiasm for the beautiful game."  

Sir Geoff Hurst, former England striker and World Cup Winner 1966 said: 

“Marvellous now we’re seeing this game at Oldham, celebrating 60 years. It’s just absolutely fantastic, and I never thought that would happen.” 

Mike Sweeney, BBC presenter and Silver Lion said:  

"I can't believe that I've been playing football for 60 years almost non-stop. I started my non-league football career at 34 years of age and in my thirties played for Manchester United's B team and for Bury Reserves.   

“It's a privilege to be playing in this match at my time of life. I'll be 80 next year and the one thing I've realised thank goodness is that you only get one health and you have to take the very best care of that. Because I'm fit and strong my life hasn't changed much over the last 40 years - I'm doing pretty much everything I did 40 years ago!"  

The German Over 75s team manager, Günter Christmann, has competed in three World Championships, but says the upcoming match is one of the most important in his career:

“The match means so much to me. It’s one of the most special moments in my life.”   

Support the documentary ‘Silver Lions: Football Dreams Never Retire’ via this crowdfunder https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/silver-lions-football-dreams-never-retire