World’s oldest football coach retires aged 93

The world’s oldest football coach, who was even introduced to Mahatma Gandhi when he was posted in India during World War II, has finally retired at the age of 93.

During a sporting career spanning more than 70 years, Ivor Powell, who was born in Bargoed, South Wales, has worked as a manager and coach and trained over 9,000 players.

Until this week, Powell was employed full-time as coach of Team Bath of the University of Bath, which he joined in 1973.

He still pulled on his boots to get involved in training sessions and will continue to attend training sessions one day a week on a voluntary basis.

"The game has changed so much over the years I hardly recognise the modern-day Premier League," The Daily Telegraph quoted Powell as saying. "When I was playing, it was more about the prestige of playing for your club. Money wasn't even a consideration.

“It seems now that all anyone is interested in is how much a player will earn at his new club rather that what he could win. We played for the fans.

"That's not to say it's any worse, just different,” he added.

In 2004, Powell was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame alongside football legends John Charles and Ian Rush. Two years later, he was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s oldest working football coach.

In January 2008, Powell was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to sport.