SIXTY-TWO-YEAR-OLD Geoff Martel could lay claim to being the oldest goal scorer in the GFA leagues. The Rovers Railway player found the net on Saturday at Port Soif in a 5-1 victory over Port City, a strike that surely earns him the unofficial title.
Martel, who turns out regularly for the side, said there was no secret formula as to how he has kept going. He says that an active lifestyle is the key to keeping fit.
‘I don’t run because if I run on the roads that is when I get my problems,’ said the man who is also the Guernsey veteran team’s coach and heavily involved in junior tennis in the island.
‘I just keep active and lead an active lifestyle. I’m lucky my family were very active.’
Despite playing football for more than 50 years, he still also finds the enthusiasm to make the weekly training sessions. And the Career Services advisory teacher has no plans to pack it in.
‘I just love the game,’ he said.
‘The camaraderie and the training make it enjoyable. I’m one of the lucky ones who can still keep playing.
‘I’m just taking it one season at a time. As long as I stay fit and healthy - I’ll see what happens.’
Martel comes from a footballing family.
His father was Muratti legend Johnny, who could have signed professional terms with Manchester City or Southampton but instead decided to stay with a career in teaching.
His brother, Jack, also turned out for Guernsey and was a member of Rangers and then the St Martin’s team who dominated in the 1960s.
Geoff started at Rangers but his Priaulx playing career was interrupted when he spent 10 years away at teacher training college and then teaching in the UK and the Middle East.
On returning to the island, he has played for North and Rovers.
He started life as an attacker but these days he is found in defence.
‘I’ve gradually dropped further and further back for obvious reasons,’ he said.
It was from right back that he got his goal against Port City. His effort was from just outside Port’s area midway through the second half when Rovers were 3-1 up.
‘I hit it to the far post and it went in over the keeper,’ he said.
‘At half-time, [Rovers’ Railway coach] Andy Mahon said, ﾓLet’s see if we can get Geoff a goal todayﾔ, and it happened.
‘I was so chuffed.’
Mahon is certainly in awe of Martel.
‘He’s remarkable in that he turns up to training every Wednesday,’ he said.
‘He does a fair bit of the training for me and he comes straight from tennis training as well. It’s very difficult to leave him out of the side. You’d like to play someone younger but more often than not he’s better.’
Article posted on 9th January, 2008 - 12.00am
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