After togging out, Socrates comes in from the cold

IT was a far cry from the carnival atmosphere and soaring temperatures of Rio for Brazilian football legend Socrates, who came out of retirement at the weekend for lowly Garforth Town.

Still sporting a greying version of his trademark beard, but with a noticeable girth, the 50-year-old delighted a record crowd with a cameo appearance at the club’s Wheatley Park ground, in west Yorkshire for a crunch league clash.

With temperatures hovering around zero, the midfielder peeled off his tracksuit 33 minutes into the second half as the Northern Counties East League First Division side were drawing 2-2 with Tadcaster Albion in the top of the table clash.