FORMER teammates plan to put their retirement on hold, at least temporarily, to take on a familiar foe this weekend.

Winnington Park’s veterans will meet their Northwich counterparts in a friendly contest on Saturday before the neighbours’ first teams go head-to-head later the same afternoon.

More than 50 past players from both clubs have agreed to dust down their boots.

“Many of them will be doing so for the final time too,” said organiser Terry Jones.

“Call it a last-chance saloon if you like.

“We weren’t convinced we’d find enough willing participants to play, but the response when I’ve asked guys if they were up for it has taken me back a bit.

“Some of them were part of Park teams from three decades ago.”

Jones, first team manager at Winnington, told the Guardian the focus is on fun for the one-off game.

However, that is unlikely to temper either side’s desire to win.

He said: “I played rugby for Park for 31 years.

“When I put on the shirt again this Saturday, I’ll want to beat the enemy.

“I’ve known the rivalry between the two clubs to be fierce, so much so that guys from opposite sides wouldn’t talk to each other for years.

“Fortunately that’s not the case now, and that old animosity has gone.

“I’ll still be emotional putting the boots on to line up one last time alongside people I haven’t seen in a long time, and I’ve no doubt those playing for the dark side will have the same feelings.”

Jones said the idea for a veterans’ derby followed a conversation he had with Bryan Johnson, from Northwich, before Christmas.

It was a good one.

“I started to make enquiries and it’s snowballed from there,” he added.

“We’ve gone from fretting we might not have enough players to worrying about how we’ll be able to get so many of them a game!

“It’s a perfect time to play before the main event – I think it will really add something to the sense of occasion.

“I want it to be momentous because I’m not sure we could get so many people together again.

“We’ve got players coming up from London, or down from Scotland, to be part of it – that’s how much it means.”

Kick off at Burrows Hill is 12.30pm.

The first teams' clash in South Lancs/Cheshire Division One follows at 2.15pm.