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AIPROPX ReportBBC Sport · 4h ago
The 50-year-old amateur footballer who became a viral inspiration
Above a Methodist church at the end of a row of terraced housing, north of Rochdale town centre, Craig Kirby's phone is buzzing as he opens the door to his gym. The 50-year-old's latest TikTok video has just crept over 85,000 views.
It shows a personal highlights reel from one of his amateur football matches, filmed from the touchline by wife Lindsay, with a caption explaining how Kirby finds space and time on the bobbly park pitch. "Fitness and movement off the ball are 90% of the game," the text adds.
Kirby smiles at the video going viral. It has racked up more than 340,000 views by the time of writing, but it is nothing new.
The one pinned to the top of his profile has been seen 2.9 million times. It's a compilation of him playing for Whitworth Valley against Old Rivingtonians on a drizzly January afternoon, a backdrop of rolling Lancashire hills and a kids' playground, a simple title of: "Well beaten today. Not bad for 50 though."
That is one of his earliest videos from the beginning of last season - since then he has continued to post regularly across TikTok and Instagram, where the midfielder's 'Football at 50' profile has about 30,000 followers on each.
Kirby, dealing with unimaginable grief following the death of son Sebastian in December 2023, had considered quitting football.
But his wife encouraged him to play on, suggesting she would film his matches. They thought a handful of family and close friends might watch them.
"I put it on and it went to over one million views," explains Kirby. "We were like: 'Wow?!' Lots of things have happened since and it has made me reevaluate.
"I am probably enjoying football right now more than I did in my late 20s or early 30s."
Kirby is undoubtedly a talented player. He had trials at Blackburn Rovers as a teenager but was already set on following his dad into the army. When he left in his mid 20s, there were opportunities at Cambridge United and Kettering but none that would support his young family.
His hair is whiter now, distinguishing him from younger opponents, but as a personal trainer the physique is still there - Kirby even says he is doing sprint training to work on becoming quicker this season.
Most videos show clips from his games, but Kirby also documents himself training, juggling a ball in his gym or doing keepy-ups against a wall.
He avoids posting any of the aggro that can be found in amateur football to instead focus on neat touches and clever passes, the analysis of an odd error. The response has been overwhelmingly positive.
For every 'Sergio Bus Pass' comment there are hundreds praising his technique, comparing him to Zinedine Zidane or explaining what an inspiration he is.
"We're always worried about red flags and being sold this scary world," says Kirby.
"But most people are just trying to get on and looking for someone to look up to or to inspire them to do something.
"I hope I can do that for some people my age who think 'I'm too old'."
Kirby has been both surprised and delighted by the opportunities that have come with his newfound exposure.
He is playing for Vauxhall Motors in the Cheshire Veterans League Premier Division this season, where they will come up against Wythenshawe's all-star cast of former professionals.
Kirby has already struck up a friendship with ex-Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse, who praised his left foot. Eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt is the latest star to register with Wythenshawe - and Kirby jokes those extra hill sprints might come in handy.
He is a regular at games hosted by other content creators now too, some draw hundreds of spectators and Kirby is touched when young fans recognise him and ask for his shirt.
In fact, while he places an emphasis on trying to encourage people to continue sport into their latter years - both for social and physical benefits - Kirby is keen to stress youngsters should not lose the love for football either.
"Everyone should just be enjoying putting their boots on and if they become a professional, wow, that's amazing," he says.
"But I just think there's a lot of pressure from a very young age to get into an academy or some sort of pathway.
"And I just think you're missing out on what I had - on the common with my friends, crushing a can and kicking it because we didn't have a football. I'm not saying it's all wrong, but we have to consider just having fun, which I have done for 40 years."
One of Kirby's proudest moments, though, has been his call-up for England's over-50s team - he's played in several friendlies and hopes to win his first official cap in Thailand later this year.
"I do love my country and it's a real privilege to wear the kit and you do feel like you're an England player," says Kirby. "Some of the guys have played at such a good level, some ex-pros, some non-league guys."
But there is a deeper fuel underpinning Kirby's motivation to keep playing. Almost three years ago, his 20-year-old son died by suicide while serving in the Royal Air Force in Norway. It followed the death of one of Sebastian's friends months earlier.
"He was such a positive kid," says Kirby. "I was going to retire because of it, and I thought I can't quit the game I love on grief. And 99% of the time I am good, but it is always there, and when I go on the pitch, it's about Seb."
Kirby's wife Lindsay praises his positive attitude for helping the family during the most difficult times, and he has spoken candidly about mental health and grief in his videos. If you are feeling vulnerable, he says, it can help to talk.
"I have had people tell me they have lost everything because of grief and they are rethinking what they've done," adds Kirby.
"Because they have made bad habits when the grief happened, they have leaned on them - drugs, alcohol, gambling, they've ended up losing their house and their family, and that is one of the things I wanted to not happen.
"Because I have always had positive outlets for my energy, I think I have leaned ...
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