Manchester Walking Football March 2023

GMWF 60s League

The 5 Divisions of the 60s league continues with 23 teams involved, 5 in each of the Divisions 1 to 3 and 4 teams in Divisions 4 and 5. The only change is that Maccabi Old Codgers have withdrawn from the league due to a lack of players. Maccabi were one of the original eight league members in 2017 and hopefully we will see them return before too long.

The first session of the 60s Spring league, Divisions 1 & 2 were played on the 2nd of the month. There are some very strong sides in Division 1 and no easy fixtures for any of the teams. Eleven goals were scored today in this division. Wakefield Wanderers, winners of last years Autumn league had a good start and head the table, one point ahead of newly promoted Bury Relics. Club Kingsmaid lie third, a point behind the Relics, and are are two points ahead of former Champions Manchester Corinthians Reds. Rochdale AFC Strollers, again former Champions, are in fifth spot, collecting just the one point point on the day.

As in Division 1, there are some very strong sides in Division 2. Not surprisingly, Fleetwood Town Flyers who were relegated from Division 1 in last years Autumn league, top Division 2. The teams lying in second to fourth spots, Carlisle SOA, Bolton Wanderers Blues and Blackpool FC Senior Seasiders respectively, are all separated by a single point. Propping up the table are Manchester Corinthians Whites, who were promoted from Division 3. They gathered no points today with four defeats and a total of eleven goals conceded with none for. Nineteen goals were scored in Division 2 today.

It was good to see Ian Thomasson back once again playing for Bolton Wanderers Blues after his recent health problem.

Divisions 3 and 4 were cancelled on 9th March due to the adverse weather conditions. Those fixtures have now been allocated to 29th June.

Division 5 was play on the 22nd of the month. Roach Dynamos top the table on five points, scoring six of todays ten goals. In second place are Bury Relics Blues, on the same four points as Wakefield Wanderers Whites but with a superior goal difference. Ribble Valley are fourth on two points.

GMWF 65s League

Divisions 1 & 2 kicked off on the 16th of the month. Last seasons winners and runners up of Division 1, Club Kingsmaid and Bury Relics respectively, still look the teams to beat. The Relics taking top spot on eight points with Kingsmaid second on six points. The head to head was scoreless, with both teams scoring three goals each today in their other fixtures.

Third place goes to Preston North End Senior Whites on four points, leading newly promoted Bolton Arena on goal difference but with the same four points. Former 65s champions Manchester Corinthians Reds take bottom spot picking up only two points today. They are certainly not the force they once were, obviously lacking a specialist striker.

Wakefield Wanderers, promoted from Division 3, head Division 2 on seven points, a three point lead over second placed Fleetwood Town Flyers and their local rivals Blackpool DC Senior Seasiders, both on four points and the same goal difference. The Wanderers scored seven of the sixteen goals in this division today.

Rochdale AFC Strollers, relegated from Division 1 last season, lie in bottom spot with just a single point earned today.

Divisions 3 and 4 were played on the 23rd of the month. Manchester Citizens and Purple Panthers head the division, both on seven points with the Citizens having slightly the better goal difference. Burnley Clarets are third on three points with Salcom lying fourth with no points collected today.

Not much separates the four teams in Division 4. Moston Brook FC top the division on five points with Rochdale Striders and Wakefield Strollers second and third respectively both on four points. The Striders having a slighlty better goal difference. Ribble Valley are fourth on three points.

GMWF 70s League

The 70s league now has 14 teams involved, 5 teams in each of the Divisions 1 & 2 and 4 teams in Division 3. Manchester Senior Citizens who were renamed Man City In The Community last year are now named Manchester Citizens. The two new teams joining this age group are Burnley Clarets and Rochdale AFC Striders.

Division 1 was played on 1st March. Double Champions, Bury Relics, once again lead the table on goal difference from Blackpool FC SS, both on six points. Newly promoted Manchester Corinthians lie two points behind in third spot along side Rochdale AFC Strollers. In fifth on two points are Tameside Striders Blues. In the ten fixtures today, only three goals were scored, with eight 0-0 draws, which must be a record for the GMWFL.

In Division 2, played on 8th March in bitterly cold conditions, we saw a massive improvement in goals scored with sixteen conversions today. Manchester Citizens and Preston North End Senior Whites grabbing six and five each repectively. The Senior Whites head the table, one point ahead of the Citizens.

Third spot goes to Salcom on five points with Bolton Arena Cardinals one point behind in fourth. Tameside Striders Stripes, without a recognised keeper today, lost all four fixtures, conceding nine goals and are pointless in fifth position. With hopefully a recognised keeper returning next month, their fortunes should change.

Divisions 3 was played on the 15th of the month. The two new teams, Burnley Clarets and Rochdale AFC Striders are both on seven points, the Clarets in top spot on a goal difference of one goal. In the head to head the Burnley team had control of the game and were dominating. They took the lead and looked comfortable winners but a last minute penalty for the Striders, through four Burnley team offences, was converted by the Striders penalty king, Steve Colesby, to deny the Clarets the full three points.

Steve, the league Treasurer and Fixtures Secretary, also converted a penalty in the earlier game versus Tameside Striders Greens, as well as scoring a well taken goal against the Greens. No doubt we will be hearing about his feats for months to come.

Third position goes to Tameside Striders Greens on three points and in fourth spot are the pointless Moston Brook FC.

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