DECADES after their best years had passed them by, it would be understandable if football’s elder statesmen lost a bit of passion for playing the game.

But that is not the case for one Sunday league die-hard – who still travels 150 miles to play every week for Hullbridge Sports Veterans.

Simon Ranger has been a loyal servant to Sports, having played his first game for their under-sevens in 1976 but, almost 40 years later, he says he still looks forward to the weekend’s matches as much as ever.

The 46-year-old has scored five goals in five matches so far this season, but is carrying an injury at the moment, although he didn’t miss out this weekend as all the league’s fixtures fell foul of the weather.

And he says he can’t wait to be back in the team and firing for Sports in the Southend Borough Combination Veterans League.

“I absolutely love it,” said Ranger. “I live in Biggleswade and it is 80 miles to Hullbridge but I can’t say no. I love playing for Pat Hayes and so do all the other lads.

“I might be getting a bit older now but I love the game as much as I did when I was playing for the under-sevens.”

Sports have struggled at the start of the season, having only won two of their first five games and currently sit in sixth.

But Ranger is confident the team will pick up more points after a consistent run of league matches.

“It really depends how the fixtures go,” he said. “There are a lot of cup games early in the season in various competitions which means it is hard to build up that momentum.

“But it is a very exciting league. There are a few new teams competing in it this year and you don’t know what you are going to get when the games come around.”

Talent runs in the Ranger family, with Simon’s nephew Tom currently making waves in the Ryman North with Great Wakering Rovers.

Voted player of the month for October, the younger Ranger left Hullbridge earlier this year as he climbs the football ladder.

And Simon says he will go far.

“He is a much better player than me,” he enthused. “Nothing fazes him and he had to leave Hullbridge to further his career. I have no doubt he will be a great success there.”

Elsewhere in Division One it is Tag United who are setting a blistering pace with seven wins out of seven.

Railway Academicals and Britannia Academicals are close on their heels while Ekco Social & Sports have suffered a very difficult start – with only one point on the board and a minus goal difference of minus-24.

In Division Two, Southend Sports have won six out of six to top the league, with Terry Martin’s 11 goals setting the pace at the summit of the scoring charts.

However, Wheatleys and Catholic United are only three and six points behind respectively.

Division Three sees Laindon Athletic top the pile, with maximum points from their six games.

West Beach United and South Benfleet United seconds are hot on their heels but May & Baker have had a start to forget, losing all their games and shipping 16 goals in the process.

Eversley Sports and Milton Athletic have taken a commanding lead at the top of Division Four, opening up a five point gap at the top of the league. And there are four teams struggling at the bottom of the division, with only three points between them.

The Senior Division sees Chapel United Old Boys chasing Railway Academicals Reserves at the top, with a game in hand on the top side. Southend Sports seconds and Ford Old Boys are still pointless at the bottom of the league.