It’s not everyday a player considered to be one of the best to play the game by FIFA finds his way into Leeds altogether, never mind playing for a non-league team there. Socrates was different however.
Believe it or not, The Brazilian played for non-league’s Garforth Town back in 2004, in a one off game at the age of 50.
Somehow, he wasn’t the only legend to play for Garforth, who managed to sign former Man Utd player Lee Sharp.
The Brazilian icon was to follow in Sharp’s footsteps after the club revealed he was to sign on a player-coach role for one month.
The strange signings started when Simon Clifford became the club’s owner in 2003, before making himself manager after just two games in the 2004-05 season.
The owner and manager had dreams of the Premier League in his mind (he actually wanted them in the prem in 20 years…which is now).
Obviously the dream hasn’t yet come to life but who’s to say it won’t ever happen?
But anyway, back to the match.
It was a highly anticipated game in November, Garforth Town vs Tadcaster Albion. Garforth Town were wearing their usual yellow and blue shirts, which must’ve been a familiar feeling for the former Brazil captain.
Attendance was high, with over 1000 fans there. Yes, it’s not quite the potential 100,000 fans he may have been used to when he used to play for Brazil.
The stage was set, Garforth were 2-0 up before Tadcaster brought it back to 2-2. Surely it was written in the stars for Socrates to come on and score the winner?
It’s the 78th minute, and the 50-year-old is ready to come on!
His first touch was a shot from 25 yards out which was saved by the Tadcaster keeper. The game did inevitably finish 2-2 but the fans were still praising the star, storming the pitch after the final whistle blew.
The gaffer Clifford told BBC Radio 5 Live afterwards: “His warm-up had consisted of drinking two bottles of Budweiser and three cigarettes which we had in the changing rooms.”
He did not play again for the club unfortunately, but the fans of Garforth will never forget the time their pitch was graced by a Brazilian legend of the game.
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