IT WAS a day to remember for footballing sensation Dickie Borthwick as he took centre stage to be filmed by a Norwegian film crew in an exhibition match at Chickerell.

Borthwick, 80, who has been dubbed as Britain’s oldest footballer, played 90 minutes for a Chickerell United Coaches XI against the Chickens’ under-16 squad at the Stalls, and described the day as “absolutely brilliant”.

Speaking about how the clash, which finished as a 3-3 draw, came to fruition, Borthwick, who was spotted online by the European film crew, told Echosport: “I had a message on the internet from these two Norwegian guys, Nils and Tommi, who have got a contract to do filming.

“They approached me and asked if they could come over and film me playing football.

“At about 1pm I took them out to Chickerell and they did some filming of me personally. The players then started arriving and they started filming

“They filmed the whole of the game.

“I played the 90 minutes. I slightly pulled a hamstring late in the first half but I was determined not to come off.

“Afterwards we had a little get together at the Lugger and the crew did more filming there. It will be in a Norwegian Documentary some time in 2017.

“At the Lugger they presented me with a full Norway strip, with a shirt, shorts, socks, shin pads and a pair of football boots, which must have cost about £150.”

In addition to these presents, Borthwick also received a special video message from Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

Borthwick said: “Last Saturday, whilst I was in the dressing room, Ronny, who did most of the filming, he brought out his phone and he showed me this video of Solskjær.

“I couldn’t believe it – [Solksjaer] offering us encouragement.”

In the video, the former Manchester United striker – known as the baby-faced assassin – says he’s ‘very impressed’ to hear Borthwick is still playing.

He goes onto joke that he himself may have retired too early and that Borthwick gives meaning to Manchester United’s motto: youth, greatness and courage.


Borthwick said: “It was unbelievable what they did. They filmed everything. It wasn’t only me they filmed. It was just a wonderful day for Chickerell. Everyone said how much they enjoyed it.”

Before he received his gifts, Borthwick also almost gave the crew a fairytale ending to the drawn contest.

His strike in the latter stages looked set to make it 4-3 to the coaches but was blocked on the line by Chickerell’s Ben Sandeman, and ‘the oldest winger in town’ was full of praise for the youth team member – who is around five times younger than the star veteran.

Describing that moment, Borthwick added: “We had a corner and our big centre-forward went up with the ball. He nodded it on to me and I hooked it into the right-hand corner but the young lad cleared it off the line.

“He did his job!”

The day was also a special occasion for Chickerell United as a club, and first-team manager Steve Coward, who played for the Coaches XI in the contest, insisted the Stalls outfit were delighted to stage the friendly.

Speaking on behalf of the club, he added: “When we got the phone call from Dickie to ask if we would hold the event, everyone said yes straight away.

“He lasted 90 minutes and he did alright. I must admit I couldn’t really walk on Sunday!

“He is absolutely brilliant. For someone at 80 years old to carry on doing what he is doing is an inspiration for everyone else, not football-wise, just in life.”

He said: “If we can put something back into the community then we will.

“It was good for the under-16s as well because they are going into our senior set-up.

“It was a good bit fun with some good banter. The Norwegian crew that came down were absolutely brilliant.”