Former Gills stars Nicky Southall and Andy Hessenthaler are back in Thailand to defend the Seniors World Cup.

Both players were part of the England team who went all the way last year, beating the hosts 1-0 to lift the trophy.

The tournament starts today (Monday), with the final the following Saturday.

Maidstone United assistant manager Southall, who also played for Bolton and Nottingham Forest, said: “It was such a great experience for me and all the players involved.

“To put that England shirt on and represent your country, in any capacity, gets the juices going.

“To win it last year was fantastic. I’ve got a lot of special memories and am looking forward to going out there and trying to retain it.

“I’ve been training hard in the last month to give myself every chance. If we get through to the final again, we’ll have to play six games, in 40-degree heat.

“For anybody at any level that’s tough, so you’ve got to look after yourself and prepare right – much the same as I did when I was a pro.”

Team-mates last year included Hessenthaler and another former Gills player, Ian Cox.

They were joined by ex-Everton and Manchester City star Peter Beagrie and former Fulham striker Barry Hayles.

Southall added: “Some people think it’s a jolly-up but it’s a serious competition. We want to bring back the trophy and come away with a life-changing experience.

“From the preparation to the scouting of the opposition, everything’s done just as it would be for an international competition.”