Football: Bellford Old Boys shine in class reunion; FESTIVAL PREMIER.

Byline: By Nick Pullen

JUST how many local Sunday morning football sides can compare with Bellford Rovers when it comes to seeing their players progress?

The Birmingham-based Festival Premier One outfit already have one of their former players gracing the Premiership in the shape of Fulham's giant central defender Zat Knight.

Another Bellford boy Darren Moore is desperately close to joining him.

He heads for Wembley next week with Derby to face his former club Albion in the Championship play-off final.

Both were required by their clubs and unable to appear when Bellford's current side took on a team of illustrious Old Boys at their Moor Lane ground in Erdington.

Despite the absence of two of their star turns, the Old Boys still managed to conjure up an impressive array of talent that included Jamaican international Paul Hall, who has graced Portsmouth and Walsall during his career and is now turning out for Chesterfield.

He played alongside former Grimsby Town and Lincoln City player Terry Fleming, while current Chesterfield team-mate Reuben Hazell watched from the sidelines.

Hazell was unable to play through injury, as was one-time Plymouth Argyle, Torquay United and Exeter City's Chris Curran who was also in attendance. Both Mark Rutherford and Sean Francis sent their apologies.

The pair are currently playing in the Eircom League of Ireland for St Patrick's Athletic and Waterford United respectively and couldn't attend. Bellford's array of talent doesn't stop at football either.

Birmingham table tennis star Scott Prime and prolific Birchfield Harriers sprinter Jason John also featured.

With such formidable talent at their disposal, The Old Boys won 6-2 with Hall grabbing a couple of goals.

Bellford now intend to make the Old Boys game an annual event.

Both Knight and Moore appeared last year and still keep in touch.

Spokesman Dean Farrington said: "The club has been going for 27 years and the Old Boys game is proving a big hit.

"We've seen how successful Romulus have been since they turned to Saturday football and we would love to do the same.

"However, we don't have the financial resources at the moment and we're actively looking for a sponsor to get involved."

Anyone interested should contact Jean Bell on 0121 551 3734.

CAPTION(S):

STRENGTH IN DEPTH... back row: Lloyd Morrison, Neville Robinson, Pete Burgher, Bret Farrington, Jason John, Teofa Robinson, Rich Olma, Imra Shah, Izzaih Shah, Myroe Levy, Derek Wilkes, Josh McPherson, Andy McDonagh, David Pugh and John Farrington. Front row: Mark Thacker, Paul Hall, Terry Flemming, Ian Robinson, Jean Bell, Adrian Walker, Dean Farrington, Chris Langford, Danny Carter and Reuben Bailey. Middle row: Scott Prime and Gary Wilson.