Manchester Walking Football Season 2025 May Sessions

Reporter: Kevin Williams

Week 1 – Over 60s Division 1

Over 60s Report

Fleetwood Town Flyers dropped away in their quest to remain with the breakaway group mentioned last month, to leave an ‘unholy’ trinity of Blackpool Senior Seasiders, Bolton Wanderers and Winstanley Walkers clear at the top of the table.

The Cod Army could only secure a single victory today, whilst their close neighbours Blackpool Senior Seasiders ploughed on with four successes, spoiled only by a 2-1 setback at the hands of Bolton Wanderers, who remained unbeaten all day.

Winstanley Walkers remarkably maintained their season’s unbeaten record today, that’s fourteen games, and look a real danger; transferring a couple of draws into wins would be ideal for the Wigan club.

The Burnley Clarets lads had a few celebrations today, with Gary Hitchens celebrating ANOTHER birthday; I’m sure he has more than one every year. The team kept four clean sheets and goalkeeper Tony Fort had a big part to play in that achievement, whilst Steve Whitehead up front will be equally chuffed with 3 goals on the day.

The bottom quartet look like they might be shaping up for a dogfight to avoid relegation, with Panthers WFC in particular looking for some inspiration as a gap appears between themselves, Manchester Corinthians, Bury Relics Whites and Manchester Old Boys. Bury Relics Whites will be rueing a late penalty miss against Winstanley too.

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

Over 70s Report

The sunshine greeted the 70 something players yesterday at Heywood, and they responded accordingly. Despite dropping points to big rivals Bury Relics, Winstanley Walkers still rescued 5 points to stay top of the league by 1 point. Bury Relics themselves can also be pleased with their day’s work, securing 8 points on the day, conceding just the once.

Manchester Corinthians make up the trio fighting it out at the top, Pete Hampson’s lads matching the achievement of Bury points wise, and with four clean sheets, to stay in touch.

Looking down the table, Tameside Striders Blues are far from out of things, trailing by a few points, but with plenty of games remaining, it’s looking grim for one time champions Rochdale AFC Strollers, who were seemingly punished for each mistake they made. It’s a hard world, even in over 70s football!

Over 60s Report

With apologies to Charles Dickens, Division 2 is looking increasingly like a table of two halves, although in fairness a decent run by Bury Relics Blues, Preston North End Senior Whites or Rochdale AFC Strollers could change that landscape quite quickly.

They sit ‘on top of the bottom half’ as it were, with Rochdale AFC Striders and Clarets Casuals sharing the wooden spoon position at present. Don’t expect either of them to go down without a fight though, the former racked up five draws from five fixtures today, with the Burnley club only one behind them.

Indeed, the Clarets provided potentially the goal of the season so far, with a thunderous shot in the dying seconds equalling another splendid score from opponents Bolton Arena. Impressive performances all round.

The top half of the table sees five clubs separated by the same number of points, Ribble Valley WFC will point out that they have played one fixture less than their rivals too. Bolton Arena dropped points against the aforesaid Casuals, but scored a crucial victory over closest rivals Wakefield Wanderers Whites to stay on top of the pile.

Both Salcom [3rd] and Moston Brook [4th] have the least number of defeats in this group far, losing just the once. I predict this division’s honours could still be in the balance come December.

Week 3 – Over 70s Division 2 & Over 65s Division 1

Over 70s Report

There was a real shortage of goals on Wednesday, with 7 of the 10 games ending scoreless, and despite featuring in 4 of those matches, Salcom retained both their leadership of the table and their unbeaten record.

Moston Brook FC, Burnley Clarets and Preston North End Senior Whites all secured valuable wins, with the latter named still bottom, but only eight points adrift and with plenty of time remaining, under the new year long format.

Burnley’s John Walton tells me that their winning goal gave Stuart Gradwell the opportunity to celebrate his birthday a day early, to compensate for a missed penalty in the previous game. Happy – belated – birthday Stuart!

Blackpool Senior Seasiders couldn’t find the net on another lovely day in the sunshine, but also remain firmly in the picture.

Over 65s Report

A very warm day indeed at Heywood on Thursday, making it hard work for the players. Nonetheless, there was some excellent stuff on show, despite a few tempers becoming frayed here and there!

In essence, there appears to be a 6 pack [not many of them on show!] waving goodbye to Wakefield as they disappear over the horizon. Manchester Corinthians Reds, Preston North End Senior Whites, Rochdale AFC Strollers, Winstanley Walkers, Bury Relics, and Bolton Arena split by just three points.

Three victories for the Yorkshiremen kept the steamroller powering on, and it’s hard to see anyone stringing together a significant enough run to catch them. But I’ve been wrong before, many times!

Injury hit Rochdale AFC Strollers picked up two useful wins but lost to a stunning Stuart Sutcliffe strike, giving bottom side Manchester Corinthians Whites some well deserved cheer, to accompany their equally good draw with their high flying first team later in the morning.

They are in a three way private battle, at the moment anyway, with Blackpool Senior Seasiders and Panthers WFC to avoid the wooden spoon, and that trio will be looking to avoid relegation.

Week 4 – Over 70s Division 3 & Over 65s Division 2

Over 70s Report

Why travel to Portugal for your walking football in the sun, when Heywood is on your doorstep, comparatively speaking? On another lovely day in the Rochdale borough, another group of 70 somethings rolled back the years once again.

Leaders Ribble Valley WFC recorded something of a disappointing day, but nobody in the chasing pack could take advantage as the Lancashire club maintained a healthy 8 point lead, with a goal difference that is worth another one.

Only four points separate the other clubs, Panthers WFC heading that group following a very successful Wednesday, taking 8 points from a possible 12. Tameside Striders Greens, Bolton Arena and currently bottom side Rochdale AFC Striders could all easily switch places next month, with just a couple of wins.

Over 65s Report

The gap of only 8 points separating top from bottom, in Division 2 of the 65’s age group widened somewhat to 15 points as the table began to take shape in month 3 of the season.

Salcom had a disappointing day, seemingly slipping out of contention, but that situation could of course be reversed with a return to their earlier form. Manchester Citizens went the other way however, after a good day at the office picking up 11 points without conceding, and going top.

Ribble Valley WFC and Burnley Clarets head the chasing pack, whilst Curzon Ashton FC’s debut season continues in a good vein, 10 of their 14 games ending in draws.

Further down the table, Rochdale AFC Striders doubled their tally for the season in just one morning, whilst Wigan Walkers will be keen to ensure that little gap at the foot of the table doesn’t get any bigger before the first half of the season comes to a close next month.

Week 5 – Over 75s Division 1

Over 75s Report

There was more than a goal per game in today’s senior edition of the beautiful game, and there might have been slightly more but for a last minute missed penalty which denied Rochdale AFC Strollers a point in their final fixture of the day against The Invincibles.

That result left the Dale trailing everyone in the table, but with plenty of games to go, there is every hope of a revival. Table toppers Bury Relics kept a clean sheet throughout, and picked up 7 points to move 3 points clear of said Invincibles, whilst Tameside Striders would be a bit disappointed with a single point.

Bury Relics looked particularly dangerous at times today, and they managed to stay top despite sportingly loaning a player to one of their opponents who fell a man down through injury. Well done to the Bury lads!

My fellow referee today, Mike Willmore, commented on how close to the true essence of walking football today’s games were, and I couldn’t agree more. Great fun, on a nice day, what more could you ask for at 75 years of age, and counting?

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