Grassroots coaches reunited after 25 years when teams including sons competed in Yorkshire

Dan Warren, 47, and Joe Reynolds, 43, worked together in a Bridlington sports shop as teenagers and became “very good friends”.

However, following a series of personal circumstances the pair unfortunately lost contact and feared they’d never see each other again.

That was until Sunday morning last weekend when the pair took their respective teams – Elloughton Blackburn and Bridlington – to play each other, not realising they were going to be involved in an emotional reunion.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, the pair said they recognised each other instantly.

"When I saw the name of the away manager was someone called Dan Warren it just didn't occur to me that it would be my old friend”, Joe explained.

"I'd tried to look him up on social media in the past, without any luck, and considering I had no idea where he was now living I just assumed it wouldn't be him.

"His name was also spelt differently on the managers list, which again made me think it wouldn't be him.

"I simply didn't put the dots together, on the day when I introduced myself and Dan turned around, it was an amazing feeling, I recognised him straight away, a hand shake became a hug, a wonderful moment.”

Dan also couldn’t believe his eyes when Joe turned around.

"Seeing him on Sunday was almost like I'd only seen him last the day before”, he said.

"I was smiling from ear to ear and had to keep reminding myself we were playing football against his team.

"His name had come up on the pre match email we get and I thought 'it can't be'.

"Apparently he did the same, but my name was spelt wrong so thought it can't be me.

“We've both got a little less head hair, but still look pretty similar to what we did.”

Joe and Dan are now looking forward to seeing each other in the reverse fixtures, after they shared the spoils at the weekend.

"Hopefully we will play each other again after the winter break at our ground”, Dan said.

"We are already planning ahead to beat the other one.”