A group of Long Stratton footballers is still playing together, 13 years after they were featured as a youth team in the Diss Mercury.One of them, Grahame Bartlett, got in touch with us and said that he had created a team called Long Stratton Old Skool which has recently won its division at the Norwich Power League.

A group of Long Stratton footballers is still playing together, 13 years after they were featured as a youth team in the Diss Mercury.

One of them, Grahame Bartlett, got in touch with us and said that he had created a team called Long Stratton Old Skool which has recently won its division at the Norwich Power League.

He said: “Its a real blast from the past as players who have been playing together for over 13 years together from youths are now back together as one team, in the same kit as when we were young, in a five-a-side team.

“We are not just winning we are thrashing teams and are already being talked about around Power league!”

In November 1995 the Mercury published a picture of Grahame and his mates in their first-ever kit.

“We carried on playing together until we were all 16 and moved onto senior football, in which most players moved to different clubs for a couple of seasons,” he said.

“From 2004 all players have returned to play senior football for Long Stratton FC, either in the first team or the reserves.”

Grahame added that the Power League team has again been sponsored by Bartlett Signs, who backed them years ago.

“The brilliant thing about this Power League team is 10 of the 15 players all played together as youths through the years at Long Stratton FC in the same team.

“The other five also played for Long Stratton as youths - just at different eras,” he said.

“As some players play reserves and some first team the Power League is the only way we get to play together as we did when we were young.

“Playing together brings back great memories, but, more importantly, a lot of talent.

“Power League works in mini seasons, each one lasts three months. we played our first season from 21st of January to the 21st of April and ripped all other teams apart, winning every game, scoring 270 goals and conceeding 35, our biggest win being 38-2! Pretty awesome stats.”

Since being promoted into the next division the Old Skool side is still a force to be reckoned with, winning all their games so far.

Anyone wanting to find out more about the Old Skool side should look at www.longstrattonoldskool.co.uk

The website has lots of photos and details about the players.