Maradona, Messi, Pelé, & Zidane to play for non-league English club Farnborough | inside World Soccer

Maradona, Messi, Pelé, & Zidane to play for non-league English club Farnborough

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

As part of a sponsorship agreement with betting company Paddy Power, every player and staff in the Farnborough squad have changed their name by deed poll to that of a footballing legend.

The most star-studded team ever assembled will be playing at Paddy Power Park this season
The most star-studded team ever assembled will be playing at Paddy Power Park this season

Photo: Farnborough Football Club

Conference South side Farnborough went into adminstration in April with reported debts of about £2 million before Paddy Power swooped in with an offer to sponsor the club and provide the money they so desperately needed.

The deal sees the Irish bookmaker become title sponsors of the club, which will include kit branding and stadium sponsorship.

Therefore, the ground has been renamed, the kit has been updated, while their playing squad and manager have changed their names to some of the biggest names in football.

Instead of a line-up including the likes of Balls, Inns and Treacher, the yellow kit of Hampshire's finest will be adorned with all-time great names like Beckenbauer, Maradona, Messi, Pelé, and Zidane.

It means the most star-studded team ever assembled will be kicking off against the might of Chelmsford City at the Paddy Power Park this Saturday.

"Over the summer it looked touch and go whether we'd even start the season," manager José Mourinho - previously Spencer Day - told the club's website. "But now we've got by far the greatest team the world has ever seen.

"Although it's not all good news, Pelé and Maradona have almost come to blows over who gets to wear the number 10."

Paddy Power, of Paddy Power, added: "We hear you, Farnborough FC. Not only does our support help secure the future of a great club but, in the modern world of sky-high money for season tickets, fans can forget the Nou Camp and now need only to travel to Paddy Power Park to see some of the world's greatest in action.

"We're waiting with bated breath for their opener on Saturday to see how Farnborough's rivals deal with a frontline led by Pelé and Messi – and a defence marshalled by our captain Hansen. Hopefully Zidane keeps a cool head in midfield and doesn't end up in our Ball of Shame season review!"

Here's the full squad:

PositionLegend NamePrevious Name
GoalkeeperGordon BanksKevin Scriven
DefenderFranz BeckenbauerThomas McGarry
DefenderCafuPaul Massaquoi
DefenderRoberto CarlosOliver Treacher
DefenderAlan HansenAlan Inns
DefenderPaolo MaldiniAdam Doyle
DefenderLothar MatthäusJoshua Huggins
DefenderBobby MooreNathan Koo-Boothe
DefenderJohn TerryDjibril Fofana
MidfielderDavid BeckhamScott Donnelly
MidfielderGeorge BestReece Jones
MidfielderJohan CruyffTyrone Berry
MidfielderPaul GascoigneStephen Laidler
MidfielderZinedine ZidaneMerrick James-Lewis
ForwardGary LinekerReece Connolly
ForwardDiego MaradonaDavid Tarpey
ForwardLionel MessiDaniel Bennett
ForwardPeléElvis Hammond
ManagerJosé MourinhoSpencer Day
Assistant ManagerPaddy PowerJames Dynan
First-Team CoachSir Alex FergusonSimon Gardener
KitmanTerry VenablesRoger Peirce


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