57-year-old Spies sends records tumbling with four goal haul in Sussex Sunday League season opener

In doing so, he became quite possibly the oldest hat-trick scorer in the league’s history – adding yet another eldest-player record to his already burgeoning collection.

Spies was leading the line for Hassocks Fatboys Reserves in their Division Four clash against Seaford Athletic and needed just five minutes to get off the mark.

Using his 40-years of adult footballing experience, Spies put himself in precisely the right place at the right time to capitalise on a Seaford defensive mistake and strike home right footed.

The Fatboys were equally calamitous in gifting Seaford an equaliser shortly after. The game was not level for long though, Spies tearing clear of the opposition defence to latch onto a long ball over the top and lob deftly over the advancing goalkeeper left-footed.

Again Seaford equalised and again Spies came to the fore. He rounded off a perfect hat-trick inside of half hour, using his shiny bonce to head home a pinpoint corner from Adam Rowden.

A madcap game showed no sign of abating and by the time Spies added his fourth on the stroke of half time, the score was 5-4 to the Fatboys.

Joe Allen broke the Spies monopoly on goals, only for the old warhorse to finish a one-on-one through the legs of the Seaford goalkeeper.

Further strikes from Toby Wiles, Mark Enticknap and Alfie Southwell wrapped up a crazy 8-5 victory for the Fatboys. Even with 13 goals plundered at either end, the talk afterwards was all about Spies.

Assistant manager Nick Davie said: “I was actually away on business in Germany, but whilst you might think shock and awe is the natural reaction to a 57-year-old scoring four goals, I was not surprised when the news reached Berlin.”

“Spiesy still plays Saturdays and Sundays, is one of the most athletic players in the squad and back in his 1970s heyday played at a really high level.”

“He is a leader on the pitch and turns up every Sunday morning fresh as a daisy and in tip-top condition, setting a good example to some of the youngsters.”

“If he can maintain this form into his 58th year and over the rest of the season, we could be in for a special campaign.”

Spies’ heroics came in the Reserves’ first competitive game since 2021 after reforming in the summer.

The return of their Reserves means Hassocks Fatboys have three sides entered in the Sussex Sunday League for 2024-25.

The first team are looking to defend their Premier Division title and an over-35 side play in Veterans Division Two, for whom Spies would also be comfortably the oldest player.

Spies was a part of that first team squad crowned Sussex Sunday champions last season, making him the oldest title winner in the league’s history.

And it was not the only age-related record to be set in the Sussex Sunday League during the 2023-24 campaign.

73-year-old Mick Salisbury was confirmed as the oldest ever Sunday league scorer in the United Kingdom after netting in a 10-2 win for BN Dons over Btown back in March.