Craig Kirby, a 50-year-old amateur footballer from near Rochdale, has become an online inspiration after videos of his matches and training attracted millions of views. His growing audience has renewed his enjoyment of football after he considered quitting following the death of his son Sebastian in December 2023, and he hopes to encourage others not to feel too old to remain active.

Kirby’s ‘Football at 50’ accounts have around 30,000 followers each on TikTok and Instagram, while a pinned match compilation has reached 2.9 million views. A former teenage Blackburn Rovers trialist and now a personal trainer, he plays midfield for Vauxhall Motors in the Cheshire Veterans League Premier Division, has met former Newcastle striker Papiss Cissé, and may face Usain Bolt’s newly registered Wythenshawe side.