Source: Daily_Mail
THE LIST: Sportsmail's top 50 golden oldies to have graced British football
HAVE YOUR SAY... Who is the greatest golden oldie? As 35-year-old Sol Campbell makes a return to the Arsenal first team, who is the greatest veteran of all time to still cut it at the top level in British football? TELL US WHAT YOU THINK Sol Campbell secured his sensational return to Premier Leaguefootball earlier this month after re joining Arsenal on a free transfer.[LNB]At the age of 35, many have questioned Arsene Wenger's decision to hand the central-defender a top-flight return.[LNB]But there have been many 'golden oldies' who have defied their age (and bodies) to make an impact well into their thirties.[LNB]Andhere is Sportmail's top 50 veteran stars to have resisted thetemptation to don their pipe and slippers and continue playing at thetop level.[LNB]Read Nos 50-4140 Steve BouldA real fighter, it had seemed that Bould's time at Arsenal was coming to an end with the arrivals of Arsene Wenger and, more pressingly, Martin Keown but Bouldy enjoyed a renaissance of sorts and was a key figure in the Gunners' double winning side of 1998, just after his 35th birthday.[LNB]Currently head coach of Arsenal's Academy side, who he led to the Premier Academy League and FA Youth Cup double in last season.[LNB] Veteran stars: Steve Bould and Fernando Hierro[LNB]39 Fernando HierroWe considered putting aside a whole section just for players bought by Sam Allardyce - the legion of ageing players he has brought in who were still capable of cutting it at the top of the game is astounding.[LNB]Hierro had spent a year in Qatar with Al-Rayyan after 14 golden years with Real Madrid but Big Sam persuaded him to move to the Reebok aged 36, for free, and he was excellent in his one year in the Premier League.[LNB]38 Ally McCoist After an illustrious 15-year career with Rangers, which included the famous nine league titles in a row, McCoist ended his career with Kilmarnock.[LNB]In his three years Rugby Park, he managed 53 appearances and scored nine goals and the striker who was intrinsically linked to Rangers would have been very pleased that his final game came in a win against Celtic in May 2001, aged 38. [LNB] Class acts: Ally McCoist in action for Kilmarnock in 1998 and Glenn Hoddle playing for Chelsea in 1998[LNB]37 Glen HoddleCertainly one of the finest midfielders England has ever produced will, of course, be remembered for his association with the white shirt of Tottenham Hotspur but it was with west-London rivals Chelsea that maestro enjoyed the remaining twilight years of his career.[LNB]Player-manager from 1993, the number of appearances he made did start to dwindle but was never out of his depth up until he retired from playing in 1995 aged 38.[LNB]36 Peter BeardsleyAn icon on Merseyside, hero on Tyneside, Beardsley was the all singing - World in Motion - all scoring - 237 goals in 755 league appearances - forward who won all his trophies with Liverpool but it was with his hometown club that he proved he could still cut it.[LNB]Beardsley even captained the side for a time - the season they went so close to winning the league 1996, when he was 36, but they were just pipped to the title by Manchester United.[LNB] Fine servants: Peter Beardsley and Steve Bruce[LNB]35 Steve BruceThe imposing centre-back was part of Sir Alex Ferguson's revolution at Old Tafford and it was Bruce's two late, late headers against Sheffield Wednesday in the 1992-93 season that put United in control of the title race, and gave us Brian Kidd's awful celebration.[LNB]Part of the first team to dominate the Premier League, Bruce eventually left in 1996 aged 35 with three league titles, three FA Cups and the Cup Winners' Cup to his name.[LNB]34 Gordon CowansThe midfielder joined Villa as an apprentice when he was 15-years-old and, in his three spells at the club made a total of 527 appearances.[LNB]His brief spell back at Villa proved that he wasn't out of his depth playing in the nascent Premier League and he has returned to the club once again as he now works with the youth team.[LNB] Golden oldies: Youri Djorkaeff and Gordon Cowans[LNB]33 Youri DjorkaeffEven before arriving at Bolton, Djorkaeff had 445 senior appearances to his name for seven clubs and had won both the World Cup and European Championship with France.[LNB]The Frenchman spent two and a half successful seasons under Allardyce, making 77 appearances and scoring 21 goals.[LNB]32 Les FerdinandWhen you think of golden oldies still cutting at the top of their game, Sir Les is one of the first names to trip off the tongue.[LNB]He scored the 10,000th goal in Premier League history a week after his 35th birthday while with Spurs but he wasn't finished there - he continued to score goals at the highest level for another four years with West Ham, Leicester and Bolton, finally retiring only a few months short of his 40th birthday.[LNB] Age no barrier: Les Ferdinand and David Weir[LNB]31 David WeirWeir's career, even at the age of 39, still shows no sign of abating. His move to Rangers three years ago has turned out to be an inspired move; he has won the Scottish Premier league, and League Cup once and the Scottish Cup twice.[LNB]Made captain last April, signed a contract extension until the end of this season by which time he'll be 40.[LNB]The best of the rest of The ListSportsmail's top 50 Premier League players of the decadeSportsmail's top 50 last-gasp goals in British footballSportsmail's top 50 footballers never to play at the World CupSportsmail's top 50 sporting feuds of all timeSportsmail's 50 great sports photographsSportsmail's top 50 commentators of all timeSportsmail's top 50 sporting venuesSportsmail's top 50 performers of the season so farSportsmail's top 50 all-time managers in BritainSportsmail's top 50 goal poachersSportsmail's top 50 footballing traitorsSportsmail's top 50 FA Cup heroesSportsmail's greatest Wembley finals in historySportsmail's top 50 biggest hitters in cricketSportsmail's top 50 British & Irish LionsSportsmail's top 50 Ashes heroes [LNB]
