FORMER Southend United star Adrian Owers has had a World Cup call — at the age of 45.

Owers, who also played professionally for Brighton and Gillingham, has been picked to represent England in the Seniors’ World Cup in Phuket, Thailand.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Owers.

“I have travelled and played football abroad before, but they were mainly end of season games that did not mean anything.

“It’s the chance of a lifetime!” he added.

Owers made 30 first team appearances for Blues in the early 1980s.

He went on to play semi-professionally for Dagenham and Red-bridge, Chelmsford City, Brain-tree Town and Maldon Town.

Owers now plays for Great Wakering Rovers in the Southend Veterans’ Premier League, who have just won the title for the second year running.

He will be part of the squad that jets out to Thailand on Wednesday of next week.

Owers, who is the general manager of Danbury Sports and Social Centre, added: “The competition is staged in order to promote seniors football and encourage players to continue in the game, both for the benefit of well being and the relationships that are built.”

The games are structured to ensure that each side plays a mixture of players between the ages of 38 to 55.

Owers will find himself up against teams from USA, Australia, Iran, Taiwan, Armenia, New Zealand and hosts Thailand.

Only three players between the ages of 38 and 44 can be on the pitch at one time and there must be three over-50s.