Before Ben Todd enticed him to have a run with the North Companions reserve grade side a couple of years ago, the Rural Fit managing director hadn't played competitively for about 20 years.

Other than a coaching stint with UNE/TAS when he was working as a police officer and stationed in Armidale, while he had always maintained an interest, he hadn't really had any involvement in the game.

Then his kids started playing with Companions, and watching them and helping out with some coaching, Mahony found himself "wanting to kick the ball again".

READ ALSO:

Todd, who he had played a lot of junior soccer with, then suggested he come and play reserve grade in the local Tamworth competition.

So he did, never thinking that two years later, and in his early-40s, he would find himself suiting up for club's top side.

"I was lined up to assist with some coaching with Gavin [Thompson] but for some reason found myself on the park," he said.

In his younger footballing days, Mahony was quite a prolific talent, even catching the attention of an English Premier League Club.

Part of the state pathways program all through his teen years, after finishing school he received letters from a number of clubs inviting him for a trial, one of which was Leeds United.

"It really came about that I was doing a gap year in England anyway," he recalled.

"They said when you're over could you come along for a trial."

Nothing came of it, but Mahony doesn't have any lament about that. He said he quickly realised he probably wasn't at that level at that stage.

"When I saw the players that had been there for a couple of years, and the difference, I was definitely off the mark and needed to cut my teeth somewhere else first," he said.

He said his "biggest learning" was "how driven they are".

All they wanted to do is "play football, play football, play football", whereas he was happy to do other things.

"There's something innate in those really high level, professional athletes," he said.

He ended up spending about three years away, playing in a couple of different divisions in England and a few other clubs around Europe.

He then had a stint in the State League with St George while he was at uni, but trying to juggle playing and training, his studies and working "took its toll" so he packed away the boots to concentrate on his studies.

Other things then came along and one season stretched into two and so on.

Aside from it taking him "about two hours to warm-up for the game and probably four or five days of recovery", Mahony said he has enjoyed the season.

"It's not just the people we play with but the people we play against. I've really enjoyed the competition," he said.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: