A host of former Premier League stars are part of a group that regularly meets up for secret kickabouts in Cheshire. They hire out a pitch and referees and the losers have to pay a £10 forfeit to cover the costs, ensuring the games are competitive. Among those who have featured in the games are Danny Drinkwater, Joleon Lescott, Nedum Onuoha, John O’Shea, Ravel Morrison, Phil Bardsley, Antonio Valencia, Danny Simpson, Wes Morgan, Emile Heskey, Oumar Niasse, and Papiss Cisse. Cisse, who is currently out of contract after leaving Amiens last summer, is using the games to ensure he is ready if a new club comes calling.

“I’m going to jump somewhere soon,” he added. He returned to action with Macclesfield in December and is now working as a pundit. Simpson, before his move to Macclesfield, shared his experience about waiting for the next opportunity after being out of contract, saying, “One of the hardest things, I found, was when your mates go back to pre-season and you’re sitting on your own at home waiting for your phone to ring.” He also expressed how he misses the camaraderie of being around the lads every day, which is hard to replace after spending around 20 years in the professional football environment.

The players mentioned that the competitive mentality comes from their professional background, and even in a friendly game, the desire to win and not lose is ingrained in them. They emphasized the difficulty of being out of contract and the challenge of waiting for the next opportunity.