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Veterans Richard Mudd, Mark Smitheringale and Blair Nixon

THREE local soccer players will proudly pull on the shirt with the Three Lions on their chest when they represent England in a veterans international tournament in Thailand.

Mark Smitheringale, Richard Mudd and Blair Nixon will fly out tomorrow, Friday, with the Harrogate Veterans FC to represent England in the Seniors' World Cup in Phitsanulok from April 21-26.

The players are part of a Harrogate squad of 24 which has enjoyed great success in the Umbro Competitions over recent years. It was as a result of their performance in the Umbro Competition in Manchester last June that they were invited to represent their country in Thailand.

There they will battle it out against the USA, Australia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates and Thailand.

They will be the only club team competing against international squads and they have been given permission by the English FA to wear the Three Lions badge on their shirts.

Harrogate Veterans were formed 15 years ago to give men over 40 the chance to continue playing.

The organising committee provide all internal transport, hotel accomodation and meals but the players have had to find over £16,000 to fly their team to the tournament.

Last year the tournament was won by Germany with five ex-internationals in their side, among them the former European Footballer-of-the-Year Manny Kaltz.

The Harrogate side have their own former professional stars in ex-Everton and Blackburn Rovers defender Craig Short, former Guiseley and York City striker Ian Blackstone and former Swindon, and Brighton star Gary Nelson. Short is not able to make the trip and neither is Farsley Celtic manager John Deacy as his Blue Square Premier side are battling against relegation.

Former Harrogate Railway boss Paul Marshall is also in the team and he enjoyed great FA Cup success with Railway with Smitheringale as his assistant.

Smitheringale, 43, lives in Burley-in-Wharfedale and works for Skipton Building Society. The midfielder is a well respected coach in the game and after leaving Harrogate Railway with Paul Marshall for Goole he managed UniBond League club Clitheroe for a time. The former Peterborough United player appeared in an FA Vase Final with Stamford.

Fellow midfielder Richard Mudd, 44, works for Ilkley butcher David Lishman as well as running a guesthouse with his wife in Harrogate. This will be Richard's second international trip as he played in the Barbados Masters in 2006. His non-league career took in Knaresborough Town, Boroughbridge and Harrogate Railway.

Striker Blair Nixon is from Ilkley and at one time was more of a star with the oval ball turning out for Ilkley RUFC after earlier success with Scotland Schools and Scotland A alongside his old pal Gavin Hastings. A single handicap golfer he is also a free scoring striker with Pool AFC Veterans.

The team's progress in Thailand will be followed by a YTV Calendar crew.

11:44am Thursday 17th April 2008

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