Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier has called for goalkeeper Brad Fredel to keep on playing for the Premier League side when he hits 40 next May.
The USA international can add Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool on his list of clubs after a lengthy 13-year stay in England, but his French coach doesn’t want him to hang up his gloves just yet.
Despite his age, the shot-stopper continues to impress between the sticks and he isn’t the first to startle during his twilight years.
We will take a look at other keepers who have played on into their forties.
Peter Shilton – England’s all-time record cap holder continued playing well into his fifth decade after notable spells at Nottingham Forest and Leicester.
He won the European Cup twice with Forest, represented the Three Lions during the 1982, 1986 and 1990 World Cup finals and played over 1000 competitive games during his illustrious career.
Pat Jennings – The Northern Ireland legend was undoubtedly one of the nation’s greatest ever players.
Starring for both north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, Jennings last plaed for his country aged 41 during the 1986 World Cup finals in Mexico against Brazil.
Many remember his fine performance for the men in green when they landed a shock 1-0 win over hosts Spain in 1982.
Will Aston Villa manage to finish inside the Premier League top-six under Gerard Houllier this season? – Latest Football Betting
Dino Zoff – The Italy sensation captained the Azzurri to glory in 1982 and, aged 40, he remains the oldest player in the history of the grand competition to lift the revered World Cup trophy.
Zoff enjoyed a long spell at Napoli, but he really made a name for himself at Serie A rivals Juventus.
He won six league titles with the Old Lady during a glittering stay in Turin between 1972-1983 and his stature later saw him take charge of the national team in 1998, guiding la Nazionale to second place in the European Championships in 2000.
Edwin van der Sar – Manchester United’s number one turned 40 on October 29 and he shows no signs of letting up.
He made 130 appearances for his beloved Netherlands after starting his career with Dutch giants Ajax.
The towering custodian picked up the European Champions League trophy in 1995, earning him a move to Juventus.
A two-year spell proved fruitless at Stadio delle Alpi and he surprised many by moving to Fulham.
He certainly got things back on track in London and consistently outperformed his team-mates before switching to the Red Devils in 2005.
With more than 160 league appearances to his name under Sir Alex Ferguson, van der Sar is set to win a considerable amount more before his days are numbered.
