YOU just can’t take the competitive edge out of retired footballers and look no further than Paul 'Oggie' Hunt for this example.

Hunt, who hung his boots up many moons ago, was gutted to lose out 4-3 in a memorial thriller for ex-Forest Green chairman Trevor Horsley.

The former Forest Green and Swindon Town striker struck the opener for the FGR Legends’ side with a trademark finish, but cut a dejected figure after the game.

He said: You can’t beat coming back playing here, obviously a sad occasion, but a great way to celebrate the ‘Big Man, but I’m just absolutely gutted we couldn’t get the win.

“We said before the game ‘we don’t get beat’, but even though it’s a charity game and we came for a reason, we didn’t want to get beat.”

FGR Legends were in the driving seat against a slightly more youthful Trevor Horsley side, but Hunt joked he’d be having words with his old boss Frank Gregan after being hooked in the dying embers of the game.

He added: “The gaffer has brought me off with six minutes to go and we are winning 3-2 and we get beat 4-3 -and I’ll be having a pop at him for sure.”

Emotions were certainly running high for Hunt and his old team-mates, who showed they still have a sure touch despite their advancing years.

Hunt said: “We had a team spirit 25 years ago with this bunch of players and you can see evidence today it never leaves us and there will be some angry heads in the changing room, but it was for a great cause for the ‘Big Man’ and when we were doing the standing ovation, it meant a lot to us.”

Hunt feels the event should now become part of the Forest Green calendar and a fitting tribute to his former chairman, he said: “Unfortunately, we aren’t getting any younger and I think it should be an annual game to celebrate a man, who without his input, there wouldn’t be a Forest Green.

“You can’t forget the past and not a day goes by when all the boys think about him, he was such a personal influence on our lives and to be fair we are gutted we couldn’t get the win for him.”

Hunt insists Forest Green have a bright future under Dale Vince and Mark Cooper, but believes the club needs to remember days gone by.

“The chairman (Dale Vince) is doing a fabulous job,” said Hunt. “I felt for Coops in the two play-off games there was never a sending off, but you can’t forget the past no matter what team you are, you’ve always got to remember them.”

SNJ sports editor Ash Loveridge spoke to Paul Hunt after the game. Watch what Paul Hunt said in our video below.