A 76-YEAR-OLD footballer finished the year in style by scoring a winning goal.

Tony Flood, who thinks he could be the country’s oldest player, was hailed a legend by his team mates.

The veteran Eastbourne striker said: “Despite nursing a knee injury and being even slower than usual, I struck my 200th vets goal in the dying seconds of the final Sovereign Harbour Veterans soccer match of the year.

“The reaction was amazing.”

Team mate Nick Read said after the game: “By scoring the last goal of the year and the last goal of the decade, Tony has become a legend.”

This was endorsed by other team mates and the Sovereign Harbour Veterans captain Craig Fullerton, who said: “What a fitting way to finish the year off with the legend that is Tony Flood banging in the winner.”

Tony, who is a former controller of information at Sky TV, is better known in Eastbourne as an author.

He played with George Best in a charity match and has just written an updated version of his book, My Life With the Stars – Sizzling Secrets Spilled, which containing revelations and anecdotes about a string of other showbusiness names.

They include Eric Morecambe, Elvis Presley, Kylie Minogue, Frank Sinatra, Joan Collins, Muhammad Ali and Bobby Moore.

Tony, who has written other books, and his wife Heather Flood, a children’s author, are raising money for Children With Cancer UK by making donations to the charity from book sales.

They are offering their titles at reduced prices in a New Year promotion at www.celebritiesconfessions.com and www.fantasyadventurebooks.com.

But football is Tony’s main love.

He has played nearly 2,000 Sunday morning games and scored more than 600 goals in his footballing career – despite admitting to being overweight and suffering from type 2 diabetes.