Manchester Walking Football June 2026

Reporter: Kevin Williams

Week 1 – Over 70s Division 1 & Over 60s Division 1

Over 70s Report

As I mentioned last month, it would only take a team to string together a couple of wins on Wednesday to see them jump a place or two in the table, and Bury Relics did just that this week, on a day of very unchangeable weather at Heywood. 8 points gained, no goals conceded was enough to see a new name on top of the pile, and secure the league title!

At the same time, I suggested that Tameside Striders Blues might be in danger of ‘disappearing over the horizon’ unless somebody smartened up their act, so I must apologise for putting the mockers on the Striders Blues as they could only muster one goal and three points on the day to finish second. Sorry lads.

Overall, there were 8 draws in 10 games and just three points distanced Moston Brook FC from the relegation places, with Winstanley Walkers and Salcom now scheduled to play in Division 2 come September.

Over 60s Report

I’m not sure if this is a record, but it’s got to be close. Burnley Clarets striker [and stand in Manager for the day] Steve Whitehead scored an amazing 8 goals today, and believe me there were some crackers amongst them. Steve was in the Colne Dynamos team that won the FA Vase at Wembley in 1988 against Emley, when he was just a kid! I’m sure he was as pleased today as he was way back when, even more so when those goals helped his team into a comfortable mid table position at the half way stage.

Against a luckless Bolton Arena Blues the Clarets were 5 up within 7 minutes, but you had to admire the bottom club as they kept going and could have had a couple themselves late in the game. Elsewhere, the other Bolton Arena representatives were equally impressive, despite their first defeat of the season at the hands of Salcom. The 9 points gained in the other games maintaining a very healthy lead.

A gap now seems to be opening at the foot of the table, with Ribble Valley WFC, Blackpool Senior Seasiders and Bolton Arena Blues needing quite a turnaround in the second half of the year to avoid the drop.

The mid table group of Manchester Old Boys, Burnley Clarets, Salcom and Winstanley Walkers need only to maintain their point per game average to remain assured of First Division football next season. Fleetwood Town Flyers and Wakefield Wanderers will be hoping to clinch the runners up spot, although a dark horse could always cause a surprise with a late run.

Week 2 – Over 75s Division 1, Over 70s Division 2 & Over 60s Division 2

Over 75s Report

Tameside Striders recovered sufficiently from an opening game turnover by rivals Rochdale AFC Strollers on Monday to lead by 3 points going into the Summer break.

The four remaining clubs are stacked up behind them; currently bottom of the table Blackpool Senior Seasiders trail by just 8 points from the leaders and 5 from second placed Bury Relics. This is such a tight division, half of the games ended goalless, with not one of the remainder featuring a game where both teams scored.

Ribble Valley Invincibles and Rochdale AFC Strollers will both fancy their chances of closing that pretty narrow gap come the restart in September.

Over 70s Report

Blackpool Senior Seasiders stood proudly at the top of the table after Wednesday’s final round of games, enabling them to pick up their first silverware since Spring 2023! My Man On The Pitch reporter Steve Hyde tells me that 3 of the four ladies who have featured so well recently played, and whilst it’s definitely a team game, special mention has to go to Ann Fuller who scored something of a belter!

Emulating the famous turn of the late great Johan Cruyff, she then shifted the ball from left to right before she, and I quote Steve, ‘top binned it from 20 yards on the curl’. It sounds like a goal worthy of taking the title, congratulations to all!

From a few miles east of the Fylde coast, another regular contributor, John Walton, agrees that these Over 70’s competitions are very close run affairs. Certainly his club Burnley Clarets will count themselves a bit unfortunate to be the ones on the receiving end of Ann’s Goal Of The Season contender above.

Ribble Valley WFC, Rochdale AFC Strollers and Panthers WFC [a bit unfortunate to accompany Burnley Clarets into the 3rd Division nest season] were separated by just one point. John and I rest our case.

Over 60s Report

A big thank you from the GMWFL committee to the Panthers WFC team who today donated £120 towards the raffle monies we are collecting on Saturday 13th June in aid of the Rochdale Hospice. This will be added to the money we raise on the night and goes to a great cause.

It’s very tight at the top of Division 2 with unbeaten Moston Brook FC, Rochdale AFC Strollers and Manchester Corinthians looking like they might be making a break for it. Corinthians in particular will have been very happy to take four points off their closest rivals, a penalty separating them from Rochdale AFC Strollers in a close encounter.

The two Bury Relics teams wait in the wings, five and six points adrift but with half of the season remaining when they return in September. The strength of this Division is highlighted by the teams in the bottom half of the table.

I saw four of the five concerned in action today and all looked very difficult to beat. Panthers WFC, Wakefield Wanderers Whites and Preston North End Senior Whites have lost only 14 of the 54 games they have all played, whilst Rochdale AFC Striders and North Manchester WFC will regroup over the coming couple of months and look to go again.

Week 3 – Over 70s Division 3 & Over 65s Division 1

Over 70s Report

Preston North End Senoir Whites ran out lengthy and deserved winners in Division 3 on Wednesday despite coming unstuck against Airbus Buccaneers in their opening match. A trio of victories followed, summing up a comfortable campaign for the Whites. Well done to all!

Despite that excellent result, our Welsh colleagues, the Buccaneers, just failed to gain promotion, as Bolton Arena clung on to second spot, despite picking up just the four points on the day. Tameside Striders Greens lack of goals proved to be their undoing, and they joined Rochdale AFC Striders in dropping down a division, despite the latter’s late win.

Over 65s Report

It was a lovely day for football, of any format, today at Heywood, although by the time we reached the last round of games a few players might have welcomed a dose of typical Heywood weather, including a shower or two.

It’s as you were all season really, as Wakefield Wanderers lead of 22 points looks unassailable, and although Manchester Corinthians, Bolton Arena and Burnley Clarets will not give up without a fight, I feel even they might concede they’re playing for the minor placings.

It was an injury ravaged Burnley Clarets side who were without FOUR goalkeepers when trying to select a team to travel down the motorway this morning, but they all put a shift in to go back home with 8 points. It could have been 10 if not for a last gasp Manchester Corinthians equaliser; in all honesty a fair result. but when was football ever fair?

The bottom half of the table is looking equally tight, again five clubs almost on top of each other. Blackpool Senior Seasiders propping up the rest without a win so far this campaign. That will have to change if the Seasiders are to climb to safety. Bury Relics, Ribble Valley WFC, Curzon Ashton FC, and Preston North End Senior Whites will be doing their utmost to stay well clear of the bottom three.

Week 4 – Over 70s Division 4 & Over 65s Division 2

Over 70s Report

Harrogate Strays crowned their inaugural season in the GMWFL with an impeccable four match winning run, conceding none, and as a result taking the 4th Division title back to Yorkshire. They remained unbeaten all season, and kept a very good Curzon Ashton FC at bay throughout, which is no mean feat.

Many congratulations to the Strays, who I am sure will continue to progress through the league in the next year or two. Wakefield Wanderers, Fleetwood Town Flyers and Moston Brook FC Greens will surely welcome the Striders of Rochdale and Tameside when the Autumn season begins in September.

Over 65s Report

On a windy day in Heywood, the toss of the coin took on rare importance, with each winning captain seemingly opting to play with the breeze behind them. Oddly enough it didn’t always assure success, with a number of teams securing victory kicking against Mother Nature.

Top of the league at 11.00am, Panthers WFC suffered a rare off day and slipped to fourth in the space of a couple of hours; they are still well in contention though, as are Wakefield Strollers, Bolton Arena Blues and Rochdale AFC Strollers. This quartet look to be trying to breakaway, with 5 points separating them from Salcom and Moston Brook FC at the half way break in hostilities.

But yesterday’s results showed that a couple of hours is a long time in Walking Football [with apologies to Harold Wilson, and to you, reader!].

Of the group in the lower reaches of the Division, Tameside Striders Whites and Wigan Walkers have a seemingly comfortable cushion against any resurgence in fortune from Rochdale AFC Striders and Clarets Casuals, but don’t put your house on it.

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