Ex-Premier League stars including Antonio Valencia, Chris Eagles and Stephen Ireland link up for kickabout
A HOST of former Premier League favourites linked up earlier today for an unlikely kickabout.
Ex-Manchester United players Antonio Valencia, 37, and Chris Eagles, also 37, were part of the group captured stretching off and pulling on the boots on the astro in an Instagram clip.
Stephen Ireland was pictured amongst the old Prem legends enjoying a kickaboutInstagram: @a8burns87
Chris Eagles was another spotted pulling on his bootsInstagram: @a8burns87
Ex-City ace Joleon Lescott and Utd legend Antonio Valencia were also thereGetty – Contributor
And 36-year-old former Manchester City and Aston Villa ace Stephen Ireland, who retired in 2018, was there too along with Premier League winning Cityzens legend and now TV pundit Joleon Lescott, 40.
Former Leicester full-back Danny Simpson, 36, revealed back in February that a host of ex-United and City players regularly enjoy a kickabout which is arranged by a “secret” WhatsApp group.
He said the footy pals play in games across Cheshire that are organised by Ireland.
And as well as the names mentioned above, Nedum Onuoha, Danny Drinkwater, John O’Shea and Ravel Morrison have also all taken part.
Simpson said: “People realised I wasn’t playing, and I think if you’re out of contract, someone will end up trying to recruit you.
“You get kicked out if you haven’t paid your loser’s fee, though!”
Meanwhile, Ireland and his fellow ex-pros could go up against Ryan Reynolds in an epic 7-a-side tournament with a whopping winner-takes-all $1million jackpot.
The 32-team festival of football will take place in Cary, North Carolina from June 1-4.
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World Cup winner Cesc Fabregas is the standout name who will take to the field at The Soccer Tournament – representing his current side Como 1907.
West Ham – managed by Tom Skinner, Wolves, Borussia Dortmund and Hashtag United are all sending teams to compete, while the US national teams will have two separate squads made up of women’s and men’s legends.
And following their celebrations in Las Vegas following the dramatic promotion back into the EFL, Reynolds and fellow Hollywood star and co-owner Rob McElhenney could also lace up their boots for the Wrexham Red Dragons.
Ireland, fresh from claiming he “got the better” of Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, heads up the Blade & Grass team.
The squad also features former top-flight players Emile Heskey, Morecambe striker Oumar Niasse, Geoff Cameron, Brek Shea, Keiren Westwood and one-time United winger Eagles.
PA:Empics SportEx-Aston Villa ace Ireland organises regular kickabouts in Cheshire[/caption]
