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Paul Merson to play for fourth-tier Welsh club Caerau of Maesteg

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments134

paul merson
Merson played for England in the Star Sixes in July this year

Former England and Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson is set to make a comeback with Welsh fourth-tier team Caerau.

The Maesteg club are awaiting international clearance for the 49-year-old to appear against Pontyclun on Wednesday, 18 October.

Caerau secretary Dai Hooper got to know Merson at a function several years ago.

"I texted him last week about the rearranged fixture with Pontyclun and he said 'I can make that'," Hooper told BBC Radio Wales' Jason Mohammad show.

"So we're hoping now that the international clearance goes through because obviously he played in England."

Merson scored during an appearance for Mid Wales club Welshpool Town in 2012, six years after winding up his playing career while player-manager of Walsall.

In addition to a successful career with Arsenal, Merson also played with distinction for Middlesbrough and Aston Villa as well as on 21 occasions for England.

Hooper described Merson as "a superstar and a gentleman".

When he was asked about Merson's match fitness, Hooper said: "He's looking okay on the box (television)."

Caerau are 13th in the 16-team Welsh League Division Three after one win and four defeats in 2017-18, with Pontyclun two places above them.

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134 comments

  • Comment posted by User0546383556, at 13:34 11 Oct 2017

    Get a couple of games under his belt and there's a chance he'll make it to Russia next summer, can't be much worse than what we have now!

  • Comment posted by Ledwulf, at 14:04 11 Oct 2017

    Super player in his day, but at about 4 stone above what he was, he'd make a one man wall if you concede a free kick I suppose.

  • Comment posted by Jack the Biscuit, at 13:50 11 Oct 2017

    The best player in Wales.

  • Comment posted by D1679103562400, at 14:03 11 Oct 2017

    At least they ll have 2 men in the wall! Not even Becks could bend a free kick around that belly!

  • Comment posted by Sean Dyches Cough Sweet, at 14:13 11 Oct 2017

    Oh dear.
    Hopefully he's better on the pitch than his god awful punditry. Man knows bugger all.

  • Comment posted by Knighton Palace, at 15:52 11 Oct 2017

    @38

    Do not be so silly if children are fat, their parents are most likely fat, and are feeding them the same rubbish they eat, plus all these fat parents are hardly going to be running around the park with their kids are they.

    I just do not get this mystery about people being fat ? all you have to do is eat less, eat better, and exercise a little, and you lose weight, its simple.

  • Comment posted by ojnner, at 16:01 11 Oct 2017

    Good for him, if it makes him happy then fair enough. I can only assume its his love of the game that gives him the motivation to play at this level.

  • Comment posted by BlueStig, at 13:51 11 Oct 2017

    Can he play for Wales now?

  • Comment posted by We all laugh at the London stadium, at 13:42 11 Oct 2017

    Haha, fair play Merse!

  • Comment posted by D1679103562400, at 17:07 11 Oct 2017

    I can only think he s had a bet on himself, that he d make a come back before his 50 th birthday.

  • Comment posted by Come the Glorious Day, at 14:30 11 Oct 2017

    "17. Posted by kevin_sandwiches
    on
    22 minutes ago

    surprised loserfool didnt sign him... definitely would have improved them!"

    Apparently he only wanted to play centre midfield.

  • Comment posted by Leary, at 14:18 11 Oct 2017

    He is a big lad nowadays, but it would be great if he did score a worldie....probably just because he cant be arsed to run any further :-D

  • Comment posted by JoeB, at 14:58 11 Oct 2017

    I don't know if i need a bigger T.V. to watch him play or my T.V. is making him bigger, but good luck to the guy 49 and still willing to run around.

  • Comment posted by User0126244157, at 07:00 12 Oct 2017

    Don't tell Southgate or he will call him up for the England team.

    Saying that, he's probably still better than Henderson!

  • Comment posted by Vilyem Hize, at 13:52 11 Oct 2017

    The Merse is back! What a player he was...not sure he should be playing in his third trimester though.

  • Comment posted by ommanutd, at 13:56 11 Oct 2017

    Surprised Arsenal haven't tried to re-sign him... although he'd be a big fish in a small pond!

  • Comment posted by footiefan81, at 14:15 11 Oct 2017

    Will probably score a worldie

  • Comment posted by focus, at 13:47 11 Oct 2017

    He looks heavily pregnant!!!

  • Comment posted by Super D Boon, at 16:06 11 Oct 2017

    As somone who knows the area very well, Caerau is the rough part of Maesteg. He'd best not drive one of his flashly motors around there.

  • Comment posted by Stu, at 16:18 11 Oct 2017

    I wouldn't drive through Caerau let alone play football there. It makes Chernobyl look like Miami

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