It’s no secret really. The lower leagues are ever increasingly becoming more youth dominated with energy and pace as the older souls fade out towards alternative leagues.
In 2023, the Championship league average for age was around the 26 years old mark.
So which veterans are still going in the Championship today?
Veterans Dominating The Championship
1. Ashley Young
Ashley Young has seemingly been around for years!
From his early playing days at Watford and Aston Villa, to his later years at Everton and now Ipswich.
Young has always been a rock in defence, making attackers lives much harder.
Throughout his career, Young has secured five trophies, showing how much of a rock he is.
Young’s latest game was a 4-1 win over QPR. With him even bagging an assist against Derby.
Despite being fourty years old, and the oldest active player in the Championship, Young continues to thrive and enjoy the football he is currently playing!
2. Asmir Begovic
What. A. Name.
The memories that this unit of a goalkeeper holds for both supporting and rivalling fans is simply perfect.
At 38 years old, Begovic remains active as he is the second choice keeper for Leicester City who are currently facing a dry spell in glory, and wining games.
Begovic played in the scrappy midweek game against Middlesbrough, in which he earned himself a 6.5 rating from Fotmob, after shot stopper Jakub Stolarczyk came off late into the first half injured.
Despite his growing age, Begoivc remains a solid force and back-up option in goal.
3. Barry Bannan
The Rolls-Royce of a midfielder, Barry Bannan, once again showed that he and his talent aren’t going anywhere against Norwich City in midweek.
Bannan went on a striving run and unleashed an absolute rocket on bonfire night, scoring from 25 yards out at the age of 36.
Bannan has led his way through an unreal career, still keeping his head cool with everything going on at Sheffield Wednesday at the moment and the delayed wages.
The Sheffield Wednesday captain averages a 7.33 match rating, showing his consistency across several matches.
4. James McClean
James McClean too has had a strong and blistering career, finding his early footing at Derry City before moving onto the likes of Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion and most recently, Wrexham.
McClean has spent 99 games at Wrexham, with eight goals and a fistful of talent and skill.
So far this season, McClean has slightly struggled with the pace and his temperament of the younger sides, leading to a cup upset against Cardiff and an alteration in the car park following the fixture.
Despite this, he has still managed nearly three hundred minutes in the league, causing issues for teams left right and centre.
McClean has scored over 75 goals throughout his career and shows no signs of slowing down, should he be given the opportunity to carry on and not become injured or forced into early retirement.
5. Ben Mee
Saving the best for last, it’s Ben Mee, the ultimate nightmare for any team and their attackers.
With 17 league goals to his name over his career, and standing at 5’9, Mee can easily wiggle through defences on set pieces and cause a ruckus for the defending teams.
Despite being an old boy on the block, Mee doesn’t take no for an answer and will out muscle any less experienced players which gives him the ultimate advantage to keep going.
Mee has had an outlandish career, spending the majority at Brentford on a free transfer, where he made a name for himself.
Comment your five selections below.
