If you’ve ever wondered how a Premier League star would get on at Sunday League level, you’re not alone. We’ve all been there.
But now football fans can witness it firsthand after former West Ham United, Chelsea and England midfielder Joe Cole lined up for one of the worst Sunday League teams in the country. After suffering an abysmal 18 defeats last season, Warley FC drafted in some serious firepower this term in a bid to reverse their terrible form, including an appearance from 56-cap Cole.
Alongside Cole pulling the strings, Warley had Micah Richards in the dugout thanks to Specsavers’ Best Worst Team campaign, which celebrates grassroots football.
Joe Cole's match-winning display for one of the worst Sunday League sides in the country
“I loved it,” Cole tells FourFourTwo after inspiring Brentwood’s Warley to a 3-1 victory on his debut. “It’s a great campaign, Big Meeks is the director of football. He’s trying to improve Warley and it’s been stark.
"The fitness is better, they’re training regularly, the camaraderie and quality are there. We even went through some clips of our training sessions to see where we could improve.”
Warley needed all the help they could get after shipping 81 goals last term, but have been steadily rebuilding confidence under the guidance of Richards and a roster of guests brought in by Specsavers.
A series documenting their turnaround is available to watch on YouTube. Cole has thoroughly enjoyed his role in the show.
“It’s so nice as grassroots football is such a big part of our culture,” beams the three-time Premier League winner.
“I played Sunday League myself after I stopped playing professionally. I loved it. It was such good, wholesome fun.
“Anyone out there who thinks they’re too old or too busy, is wrong. It’s a few hours on a Sunday morning. You can leave your partner and the kids in bed, let them have a little lie in, and go and join a team. You’ll be fit, you’ll be healthy, and you’ll have a brilliant time."
Reflecting on his goal, Cole was quick to point out the differences between Sunday League and Premier League level.
“I opened the scoring,” he recalls. “It was great. Scoring a goal at any level is great. The ball came out to me and, let’s be honest, we’re not talking about Wembley here - it wasn’t exactly a carpet.
"So I just concentrated on the bobble to make sure I got the right connection. It pinged in and it got us on our way. We should have scored more but we got the job done.”
