Mark Schwarzer is the oldest player ever to appear for Leicester in an official game. He was 43 year and 21 days when appearing for Leicester vs. Hull in a EFL League Cup game back in October 2015. He was part of the 5000/1 squad, but never appeared for the aniversery game, and not much mentioned either, since he had no league appearances that season.
Kevin Phillips and Chris Powell are next on the list. Phillips part of that 2013/14 promotion push. He was 40 years and 9 months when appearing for the last time on the 3rd of May 2014. Powell, 40 years and 19 days, in his last appearance vs. Derby away on the 27th March, 2010.
Throughout history, it’s interesting to see who the 50 oldest players at the club are. Among them you will find Jamie Vardy, Jordan Ayew and Asmir Begovic. Jordan Ayew is actually the 50th oldest player of all time, being 34 years, 7 months and 21 days when he last appeared in a Leicester shirt, in the last game of this season, the 1-0 win vs. Blackburn Rovers. JV9 is in 8th place, 38 years, 4months and 7 days.
Barry Hayles also figures on this list, being 36 years, 11 months and 1 day. He is in 14th place. The special fun fact about Hayles is that his career continued well into his 50’s. He played on 9 to 10 with Windsor in 2023, 51 years old.
Another season ✅ off.Never ended as we all wanted just fell short when it mattered most(run in 😤) football is fine lines ! Personally reached a milestone 1000 games and yet again past double
— KEVINELLY (@KEVIN11ELLISON) April 26, 2026
Figures in sausage rolls ⚽️ rest recover go again 💭🤔 #ageisjustanumber #47notout pic.twitter.com/gk3OiMTFJX
Some of Leicester’s major heroes also kept it going for a very long time. Peter Shilton is one to mention. He is a phenomena, being the 3rd youngest ever Leicester player to appear in an official game, when making his Leicester debut at 16 years, 7 months and 16 days. Shilton never became part of the old man list at Leicester, leaving in 1974. But his life in football continued all the way into the late 90’s.
With 996 Football League matches to his name, Shilton was anxious to reach 1,000 and he did when he joined Leyton Orient in November 1996. His thousandth League game came on 22 December 1996, against Brighton & Hove Albion, which was screened live on Sky Sports and was preceded by the presentation from the Football League of a special edition of the Guinness Book of Records to Shilton. He played five more matches before retiring on 1,005 league games at the age of 47 at the end of the 1996–97 season.
Frank Worthington also kept it going well into his 40’s. He was 36 when playing for Southampton at the highest level ending runners-up in the 1st divison. He played in league and non-league football until the age of 43. Len Glover is another of that era who turned out in non-league action well into his 50’s.
Kevin Nugent is still in the game, playing this season for Ainstay Nomads. Nugent turned 41 in May. Kevin Ellison is another old dog still playing. At the age of 47, he turned out for Vauxhall Motors in the Northern Premier League Division One West, level 8 in the English league pyramid.
- + 50
- Barry Hayles, Windsor
- Len Glover, Harlow Town
- + 40
- Mark Schwarzer, Leicester City
- Kevin Phillips, Leicester City
- Chris Powell, Leicester City
- Frank Worthington, Cemaes Bay
- Kevin Ellison, Vauxhall Motors
- Peter Shilton, Leyton Orient
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