Newport forward Kevin Ellison says he has no plans to retire

Newport’s Kevin Ellison is ready to give Sir Stanley Matthews a run for his money after the forward, 42, became the oldest outfield player in the play-offs… as he insists he has NO plans to retire

  • Kevin Ellison says he is ready to give Sir Stanley Matthews ‘a run for his money’
  • The 42-year-old Newport forward has said that he has no plans of retirement yet
  • Ellison became the oldest outfield player to feature in the play-offs on Sunday
  • He scored to fire the Welsh club to a 5-4 aggregate win over Forest Green  

Newport forward Kevin Ellison says he is ready to give Sir Stanley Matthews ‘a run for his money’ with the 42-year-old having no thoughts of retirement.

Ellison became the oldest outfield player to feature in the play-offs when his superb solo strike fired the Welsh club to a 5-4 aggregate win over Forest Green in the semi-final.

The Exiles have not won a Football League promotion since 1980. And while manager Michael Flynn was not born, golden oldie Ellison was — and loves the banter about it.

Newport forward Kevin Ellison, 42, has revealed that he has no plans of retirement yet 

‘Someone mentioned Stanley Matthews to me after the Forest Green game,’ said Ellison. ‘He was a much better footballer than me but I’m going to give him a run for his money! Age is just a number, I’m taking each year as it comes. But I want to continue playing. I feel good so let’s see what the future holds.’

Matthews’ storied career with Stoke and Blackpool did not end until he was 50.

To add another sub-plot to Newport’s showdown, Ellison was about to call time on a 25-year senior career when he left Monday’s opponents Morecambe at the end of last season.

Ellison fell out with Shrimps boss Derek Adams and was planning to work on a factory production line on minimum wage. But Flynn contacted him and, after a week isolating in team-mate Matty Dolan’s attic, he joined Newport and now hopes they can get into the third tier for the first time since 1987.

Ellison says he is ready to give Sir Stanley Matthews (left) ‘a run for his money’

Ellison became the oldest outfield player to feature in the play-offs when his superb solo strike fired the Welsh club to a 5-4 aggregate win over Forest Green in the semi-final

Adams’ Morecambe, on the other hand, have never been in the third tier — they have played more Football League seasons without a promotion than any team, having been stuck in League Two since 2007.

Adams said: ‘We know the occasion and what it is: an opportunity to get into League One. You really can’t treat it as another game.’

Ellison scored in Newport’s 3-1 win at Morecambe in March and headed straight for the home dugout to celebrate in front of Adams.

Ellison added: ‘I am glad what happened in the season when I got my little bit of payback and my emotions out. But that’s gone now. This is about Newport against Morecambe, not Kevin Ellison versus their manager. But I think this final is going to be Kevin’s time.’




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