Weymouth's Dickie Borthwick to star on ITV's Judge Rinder

The sprightly 85-year-old, known as Britain’s oldest footballer, is set to appear on the popular courtroom TV show regards ‘suing’ his former manager after his football team - the Wyke Rangers Veterans - folded in 2016.

Dickie in court at the ITV Studios

The tongue-in-cheek episode pitted Mr Borthwick against former manager, Don Whistance, who he was suing £1,200 in damages for ‘loss of enjoyment’.

Mr Borthwick said: “I was upset the football team folded and Don didn’t care that the team had gone.

“Don is a part-time actor so he likes the limelight, but I think everybody does now and again.”

In response, Mr Whistance said the show becomes a humorous event as the judge opened up with calling the two courtroom opponents ‘Dick and Dom’.

Dom during court

He said: “I was the villain who, as manager, had folded the Sunday football team and Dickie was suing me.

“The judge gets the giggles on several occasions and has to turn away with tears in his eyes.”

The original episode was filmed in ITV’s Manchester studios - which was appealing to the footballing veteran who called Manchester his ‘second home’.

“It was lovely to go back to Manchester - the people there have a great sense of humour,” said Mr Borthwick.

“When I was 25 years old I spent a lot of time in Droylsden as an entertainer.”

The grandad of five said before the pandemic he was playing for Smugglers FC, a football team formed from the Wyke Smugglers pub, in Portland Road.

“Up until five years ago I could play a full 90 minutes, but nowadays I only come on as a ‘super sub’,” said Mr Borthwick.

“But the coronavirus pandemic means I haven’t kicked a ball in over a year now.”

Mr Borthwick said he will be tuning into the Judge Rinder repeat episode, which is set to air on February 19 at 2pm, but he said he has one priority above all.

“I can’t wait to get back on that pitch,” he said.

Mr Whistance has a teaching background but has appeared as an extra in Broadchurch and films such as Star Wars, Bridget Jones’ Baby, Dunkirk, Judy, and the new film Ammonite with Saoirse Ronan and Kate Winslet, which was filmed in Lyme Regis.