A MINNOW football club have announced their latest “signing” – former Premier League superstar Gareth Bale.
Bale turned out for Tottenham Hotspur from 2007 to 2013 before joining Spanish giants Real Madrid, where he plied his trade until 2022, before retiring from the game earlier this year.
The 34-year-old won three La Liga titles in Spain, as well as a resounding five UEFA Champions League trophies, but it seems the former winger has now caught the eye of a lower league side.
Bale and seventh division side Sheffield FC seemingly share an interest in golf, with the former running into club officials at a golf event in St Andrews, Fife, where they opted to “sign” the Welshman.
Since retiring, Bale has pursued his love for golfing and has featured in several tournaments, even making his PGA Tour debut at the Pebble Beach Pro Am earlier this year.
Bale was taking part in a celebrity game in St Andrews at the weekend, prior to this year’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship alongside names such as Catherine Zeta-Jones and Bill Murray.
Yesterday saw Bale collaborate with Sheffield FC though, as he was snapped by the club – who are the oldest existing association football club in the world – holding their shirt aloft.
The picture shows Bale grinning whilst holding the historic black and red shirt in-front of him in a hallway.
The picture was shared to social media by Sheffield FC yesterday with the caption: “Gareth Bale signs for the world’s first football club!
“Only kidding…we bumped into Gareth Bale at Dunhill Links.”
The snap has since racked up over 1,100 likes and dozens of comments from users.
Fellow lower league side Wombwell Town FC joked: “Phew! We thought you guys had offered him more than our offer of £50 a game and a set of second-hand golf clubs to join you then.”
Another claimed: “You really overdo this world’s first thing.”
One Sheffield United fan replied: “Safe to say I’m not in a rush for a photo with him or an autograph.”
Today marks the final day of the Alfred Duncan Links Championship in St Andrews with Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick currently in the lead with a score of 13 under par.