Cleator Moor Celtic are hoping to host a former World Cup and Premier League star next Saturday.

Pascal Chimbonda has signed with Ashton Town for a month and they are due to play a Hallmark Security League First Division North game at Celtic’s JBV Park.

The 39-year-old former French international made his Ashton debut last Saturday and played the full 90 minutes in a 6-2 win over Bacup Borough.

Despite initially playing his international football for Guadeloupe, where he was born, Chimbonda went on to be selected for the France squad for their 2006 World Cup campaign. But he was an unused substitute in each of their matches including the final, in which they lost on a penalty shootout to Italy.

His only French cap came in a World Cup warm-up match against Denmark but he is well known in this country for a Premier League career with Tottenham and Wigan Athletic.

He also played for Blackburn, Sunderland, Doncaster Rovers and QPR before ending his league career with Carlisle, playing 26 times for them in 2013/14. Back in 2017, he signed for Northern League side Washington and turned out against Penrith.

Cleator Moor Celtic are also hoping he will make it to Cumbria for their clash on February 9.

Secretary Herbert Briggs said: “There won’t have been too many World Cup players who have graced the JBV Park, so it would be great if he was in the Ashton team to visit us.

“Apparently he has signed for a month and, as we play them in that period, fingers crossed he is in the line-up. I’m sure it will put a good few on the crowd.”

Although he will be 40 on February 21, Chimbonda says he had no trouble playing a full 90 minutes, although it had been a couple of months since he last played.

“I have been coaching with kids and sometimes I play football like this to help because I enjoy it," he said.

“I keep fit with coaching, and I played games a few months ago up in the north east, so for me playing 90 minutes is no problem.”