From making his Premier League debut vs Manchester United to scoring 14 goals at 46, it’s a crazy life for one player.
It’s become increasingly common for footballers to have much longer playing careers than in years gone by.
Gone are the days when stars were beginning to hang their boots up once they reached the ages of around 33 or 34.
For example, Steven Fletcher is still scoring goals for Wrexham at the age of 37 and is set to turn 38 next week.
Cristian Ronaldo, meanwhile, is now 40 but already has 28 goals and four assists in the 2024/25 campaign.
However, it’s hard to see Ronaldo continuing to play until the age of 46 like one former Premier League man currently is.
Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Former Hull City and Leicester City player Kevin Ellison is still playing at 46
The man in question is Kevin Ellison, whose remarkable story has been covered by Sky Sports reporter Sanny Rudravajhala this week.
Ellison began his playing career all the way back in 1997, lining out for Southport.
He has since enjoyed spells with the likes of Hull City, Rotherham United, Bradford City and Leicester City.
Now though, at the age of 46, Ellison is on the books of Vauxhall Motors, whom he joined on a free transfer in March 2024.
In the current season, despite his age, he’s already scored a staggering 14 goals and has been discussing his story with Rudravajhala.
He said: “I’m grateful because my body allows me to, which is most important at my age 46, but I love it, I love football. If you were to say to be next season come and play for me on a Sunday, I probably would.
“It’s the passion, I’ve still got passion, I’ve still got desire. I still want to do well.”
The voice-over of the piece, then added: “Miles on the clock but scoring 14, he’s driving a promotion push for Vauxhall Motors, eighth tier, Northern Premier League West, 24 years from a different Premier League.”
Kevin Ellison made Premier League debut vs Manchester United
After signing for Leicester from Altrincham in February 2001, the now 46-year-old made his one and only Premier League appearance against Manchester United, coming off the bench to play six minutes.
On lining out against Manchester United, Ellison said: “17th of March 2001, it’s a date I’ll never forget, to be honest.
“It was only a couple of months before then I was on a building site with my uncle so for stuff like that, I’m forever grateful for.
There was a picture of me and Jap Stam in the paper and for whatever reason, people say we look alike, I can’t see it. I’ve still got the picture in me dads.”