Just reading something, and it mentioned Allan Knight is one of only a few players that have played for the same club in four different decades, between 1978 and 2000. It got me wondering who the others were, so being too lazy to search, I thought I'd see if anyone on here knows? Bound to be all goalies.
I just googled, and while it's not all at the same club, one is an outfield player that has played for us, and seems to be only one of very few Brits on the list.
Kazuyoshi Miura has played for five decades, though not for the same club and is still playing in Japan at 53. I doubt there's another player still playing professionally, who also played in the 1990 World Cup.
Apologies for taking your thread a wee bit off-topic but mention of the war reminds me of an old boy I worked with when I first started in the steel industry back in the mid 70's - he was a pro footballer at the start of WW2, did his bit in uniform and then came back to playing. It was in the days when a player would earn enough to buy a nice semi and not a lot more, he always had a part time job and hustled for extra cash playing billiards and snooker - a really smashing old guy who was full of footballing and hustling stories. He even has a few lines on Wiki! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Ward_(footballer,_born_1917)
The one quoted for City was Aaron Wilbraham. The other one quoted from the English leagues was a Villa player.
I think Rogerio Ceni (Brazilian GK) did. EDIT: Scratch that, it was only 3 decades at the same club. At Sao Paolo from 1992 to 2015. Also scored 131 goals. As a keeper.
Iker Casillas had a good run with 3 decades at Real Madrid and then sneaking into a fourth at Porto. Ibrahimovic is also a four decade man but obviously at a host of clubs. Superb list though; Ajax, Inter, Juventus, Barcelona, AC Milan, PSG, Man Utd...
Argentinian international keeper - Fillol - 60's-90's - multi teams. Another Argentiinian keeper (earlier era) but can't remember his name?
Miura is also the only player still playing who played at USA 94 as well - the last one left before him was Brad Friedel, who retired 5 years ago.
He's only got to stick at another couple of weeks though. He started in 1995 according to a page I just read. EDIT. The 20's count don't they. I nearly went back and added a bit to the Gareth Barry one.
Paolo Maldini holds the record for most appearances in Seria A with over 700 for AC Milan in 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s. Correction ....Maldini did not play for ac Milan in the 1970s, but his dad Cesare did.