Manchester Walking Football November 2017
Manchester Walking Football November 2017
Manchester Walking Football November 2017, kicked off the third session of the Autumn League in dry but cold weather at the Heywood Sports Village. The format was the same as the previous two months, five teams in Divisions 1 and 2 and four teams in Division 3. The good news for the December session is that we have another team wanting to join Division 3.
Twenty goals were scored in the twenty six fixtures in this Manchester Walking Football November 2017 session, only six in Division 1, ten in Division 2 and four in Division 3. In the twenty six games, twelve finished in nil nil draws. With thirty two goals scored in the October session, is it an indication of better goalkeeping or poorer shooting?
Division 1 Table November 2017
In Division 1 Rochdale Strollers six point lead was reduced to four points. They only gathered three points and scored only one goal, which is uncharacteristic for them. Second placed Vintage Celtic fared even worse with no goals scored, two draws and two defeats, losing their twenty three match unbeaten run and moving down to fourth in the table.
Nash Amblers had a very good day, gaining ten points from a possible twelve to move to second in the table. The ever dependable Chadderton are in third place with three draws and a win, a point behind the Amblers. Rochdale Striders look doomed to be relegated to Division 2 in the Spring League with an eight point gap from the fourth placed Vintage Celtic.
It certainly looks to be an exciting December session in Division 1, with any one of three teams in contention for the title. Goal difference could very well come into the equation.
Division 2 Table November 2017
In Division 2 of the Manchester Walking Football November 2017 session, AFC Blackpool Senior Seasiders maintained their four point advantage over Fleetwood Town Flyers with five points from a win and two draws. A goal against in the one nil defeat versus Bolton Wanderers A may eventually ruin keeper Steve Hyde’s chance of winning the Golden Gloves award.
Fleetwood Town Flyers also gained five points from a win and two draws but at least reduced the goal difference
from the Blackpool side to one goal from the three goals in October. There is nothing much in a tight division with Bolton Wanderers A only a point behind the Fleetwood team and Roach Dynamos three adrift.
As in Division 1, it is all to play for in the final session in December. One certainty is that Macaabi Old Codgers are already relegated to Division 3. I watched their first game against AFC Blackpool Senior Seasiders and they were extremely unlucky not to at least gain a point. They looked a much improved side from previous monthly sessions.
Division 3 Table November 2017
Division 3 shows the same scenario with only one point separating the top three sides. Bury Relics lead the division on a goal difference of one from Nash Bees, with Wakefield Wanderers taking third spot. Bolton Wanderers B prop up the table five points behind leaders Bury Relics.
A new team has shown their intention to join us for the final session in December, bringing the third division up to it’s maximum of five teams.
So it’s all to play for in all three divisions and it would be a brave gambler to put money on any of the top three teams in the three divisions.
The Golden Boot award is looking like a three way battle with Wai Hon Tsang of the Blackpool side on seven goals, Mick Tarpey of Roach Dynamos on five goals and the outsider John Bee of Chadderton on four goals.
The Golden Gloves award is showing a few of the old faces from the Spring session back in contention. Pete Smith of Fleetwood is currently leading with one goal conceded. Mike Kieran of Vintage Celtic, the Spring winner and Steve Hyde of Blackpool on two, Ron Blackeley of Rochdale Strollers is on three.
Now for the negative side of the Manchester Walking Football November 2017 session. A few teams, including my own, Vintage Celtic, were showing dissent to the referees and in our case aggressive behaviour to other teams. It must be stamped out, and in our case it will be. The referees have a difficult enough job without being constantly harassed by players who should know better. Grow up for goodness sake, you are not twenty year old’s full of testosterone but in most cases ageing grandfathers. We have some excellent referees, probably the best collection in any league, treat them with respect please or we will be forced to take measures that will make sure you do.
Once again a big thanks to Paul Gardner who oversaw the day’s events and a special thanks to Matt Howells who combined his refereeing duties with the team registrations. Also, once again many thanks to our resident baker Peter Thomas of Fleetwood Town Flyers for the after session cakes.
Please pass this page link on to all your players as they must be interested in how they are progressing in the league. All the results and tables can be found HERE, or on our FA Full Time website HERE.
Finally, you have a facility on this website to advertise your weekly sessions, contact details, showcase a gallery etc. It’s virtually a free one page website.
This is YOUR website, so please leave a comment below, on any aspect of the league or it’s sessions. It’s easy to do. You can also raise your own topics by joining the Forum.
Hi, unfortunately I was unable to play in November due to injury so I was down as a supporter. In the games I watched they were competitive but some of the tackles were a bit overboard and it won’t be long before someone is badly injured.
The referees do a very good job but they must be a lot firmer and any player committing a deliberate foul, bringing a player down, or running to get back in a defending position should be sent to the sin bin for 2 minutes. No second chance and hopefully this will make players more aware of their actions, after all its supposed to be non contact.
We had a good day (The Nash Amblers and Bees) and have transformed our chances in the space of just one round of fixtures. Which shows almost anything can happen, and probably will next month.
We enjoy gathering at Heywood for these games, even though they impact on our regular internal sessions sometimes.
On a constructive note – we understand it’s easier to keep fixtures and pitches the same month after month, but as I said to Paul and yourself it would be an improvement if Referees could be alternated/rotated a little more.
Personally the day was all I expected it to be but subsequent reports from our players of an incident on one pitch, and later observations of some reckless physical contact have concerned me, as the organiser of our group of players. I hope you and Paul, as organisers of this exceptional league can nip this in the bud. As you say we are ALL old enough to know much better. We ALL have a responsibility to behave appropriately.
Thanks to Bees opponents on the day (I play with Bees), Bolton ‘B’, Bury Relics and Wakefield Wanderers for some good games played in a decent spirit – of course we all can get a little exuberant at times, including myself. Yet there was no hint of nastiness in our games in Division Three. There is a report of our day on our ‘tamestriders’ website as well as some Bees and Amblers video featuring Rochdale Striders/Strollers/Bolton B and soon Wakefield too.
I have given all of our players a route to get here and comment if they wish. I hope some do so. All of the one hundred plus men who took part on Friday should make the most of this forum in my opinion, and the opportunity to have the ‘free club website’ which is on offer.
In closing I look forward to the Over 65 competition next week with Tameside Striders.