Manchester Walking Football September 2025

Reporter: Kevin Williams

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

Over 70s Report

Manchester Corinthians came back refreshed enough from their two month break to surge 7 points clear at the top of Division 1 yesterday. The forecast showers never really materialised, and that suited the leaders just fine as they racked up ten points.

The trailing pack is separated by just 5 points and it’s up for grabs really. Bury Relics head that trio, with Winstanley Walkers three points behind them, but with plenty of games remaining to make a go of it.

Bottom of the table Rochdale AFC Strollers enjoyed a rare victory, but can only just see Tameside Striders Blues on the distant horizon, fully twelve points in arrears of the East Manchester club.

Over 70s Report

Referee’s chief Garry Pearce spoke to the Over 60’s players before today’s resumption of the 2025 Division 1 season. He advised them that for one round of games only, we would be trialling a FIVE offence ruling for the FA, in place of the normal four that would result in a penalty against the offending team. Additionally, the rules relating to substitutions and kick ins from the side of the pitch were to be more strictly enforced.

This got a few people putting their thinking caps on, but it didn’t get in the way of some very good football being played, again on a day much nicer than that forecast by the doom mongers at BBC Weather!

On the pitch, Winstanley Walkers unbeaten record went bang, but they have still suffered the least number of setbacks so far this season, and trail only Blackpool Senior Seasiders in the league standings. The Seasiders had a jolly good time indeed, with three wins and two draws on the day, a feat matched by mid table Wakefield Wanderers.

The three pronged assault on the title continues, with Bolton Wanderers firmly in touch, a dozen points clear of both fourth placed Fleetwood Town Flyers and fifth placed Burnley Clarets. The two Manchester clubs, Old Boys and Corinthians, will be looking over their shoulders somewhat, and determined to avoid relegation, a fate that looks increasingly likely for Bury Relics Whites and Panthers WFC unfortunately.

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

Over 70s Report

The Over 70’s Division 2 table is as tight a competition as you could envisage. Just 11 points separate top from bottom, and with a dozen games remaining it really is anyone’s to win. Top dogs Salcom will have been content with two wins, two draws and four clean sheets yesterday.

At the other end of the scale, Burnley Clarets failed to register a goal but still managed a couple of draws, one of which was a creditable stalemate against the leaders. Moston Brook FC, Blackpool Senior Seasiders and Preston North End Senior Whites all managed to secure a win during the day’s fixtures, but the big question remains, can anyone put a decent run together to challenge the Salford outfit? Answers on a postcard please!

Over 60s Report

Despite some very good football played across all four pitches today, the big talking point was the atrocious weather that eventually became a real concern for people’s safety. With the penultimate round of games underway, the lightning that accompanied some very loud thunder became too much of a threat to everyone’s safety, and League Chairman Paul Gardner took the rare step of abandoning the day’s play, with four games also remaining.

As far as the actual football was concerned, the much awaited, well in Rochdale anyway, derby between the Strollers and the Striders was decided by a Bob Hartley strike 3 minutes from time. This was a well contested and close affair, which seemed to set the tone for each team’s remaining fixtures, the Strollers picking up 8 points from four, whilst the unfortunate Striders went home empty handed.

Further up the table, there are clearly five clubs in with a shout of honours come December, with Bolton Arena favourites – just. Wakefield Wanderers Whites, Salcom, Ribble Valley WFC, and Moston Brook FC hang onto their coat tails, but as with the 70’s, would see their title odds slashed if they could launch a run of a few unbeaten games throughout October and November.

Bury Relics Blues and Preston North End Senior Whites are focused on the 3-way battle for 6th place, with Rochdale AFC Strollers, whilst Burnley’s Clarets Casuals and Rochdale AFC Striders hope to ensure the other team is holding this year’s wooden spoon.

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

Over 70s Report

It was a pleasure to be sharing a pitch with some of the best known veterans of the Walking Football world yesterday [as an under age goalkeeper I hasten to add!] and they showed they can still play a bit too.

None more so than 79 year old Rochdale stalwart Steve Colesby who threatened to run riot against luckless Bolton Arena in the finale of the day, but after hitting the frame of the goal twice, had to settle for a mere couple of goals! Steve is 80 in November, as he keeps telling anyone who will listen [or indeed anyone who won’t listen] but like Ray Richards, Dave Mort and numerous others, there’s still plenty of fuel left in the tank.

On the subject of mileage, the race for the Third Division title looks to be heading for a two team shoot out, especially if Panthers WFC can continue to close the gap on Ribble Valley WFC as they did yesterday. Both teams were unbeaten on the day, and must face each other three more times before the end of the season. They look like key games to me and a lot could hinge on just one moment. They need to keep their focus on the other games too of course, as Rochdale AFC Strollers, Tameside Striders Greens, and Bolton Arena have all averaged a point a game so far this term.

Over 65s Report

With 24 games of 15 minutes each today, there were 360 minutes of fast and furious football played, and an average of just under one goal per game scored. That’s not a criticism by the way, but a huge compliment to the standard of organisation shown by teams in this league, every week. It might also have something to do with the goalkeepers too, you really would have to go a long, long way to find as many top class Custodians gathered in the one place at the same time.

Wakefield Wanderers march relentlessly on, and have notched up TWICE as many victories than any other team in the Division so far; just think about that fact and let it sink in. Manchester Corinthians Reds will be disappointed in their points total today, but they still lead the chasing pack, being trailed by a plethora of Lancashire clubs in Preston North End Senior Whites, Bury Relics, Bolton Arena, and Rochdale AFC Strollers.

The six points picked up by Winstanley Walkers today, from just the four games, could prove vital in the relegation battle that looms in the latter months of the year; crucially they still have that extra game to play too. Blackpool Senior Seasiders, Manchester Corinthians Whites, and Panthers WFC all need to hit a run of form to give themselves some momentum in the push for survival.

Week 4 – Over 75s Division 1 & Over 65s Division 2

Over 75s Report

There was a nice show of sportsmanship at the Heywood Sports Village yesterday, when Rochdale’s Bernard Coonan offered to turn out for rivals The Invincibles, who found themselves with just the five players available. The latter named side didn’t fare too badly either, with three draws from 3 games. Well done Bernard and Rochdale!

Top of the table Bury Relics also managed to gain three points, and it was enough to maintain a healthy 7 point lead, with 9 games to play. Somebody needs to make a determined push now, or never. Whether that team is Rochdale AFC Strollers, Tameside Striders or The Invincibles, time will tell; all three have just a point separating them!

Over 65s Report

It was raining cats and dogs a couple of weeks ago at Heywood, and yesterday it was raining goals in the Moston Brook FC v Burnley Clarets clash. On a beautiful September morning referee Ian Liversidge had to mark EIGHT goals down in his little black book, with Burnley Clarets almost – but not quite – squandering a 5-1 lead.

Paul Sunter and Pete Hey led the scoring for the Clarets today, and they still lead the table by 4 points from Curzon Ashton FC, with Ribble Valley WFC and Manchester Citizens in hot pursuit. Three of Curzon’s points came courtesy of a bizarre series of events in their final game of the day against Salcom.

Experienced referee Mike Willmore might struggle to recall having to order a penalty to be retaken not just once, but TWICE, as stand in Salcom keeper Pete Gaffney came off his line to save the first attempt.
Following some ‘friendly advice’ from Mike, Pete proceeded to commit the same mistake which led to a blue card and a temporary dismissal.

Curzon’s Stuart Saint finally sealed the deal with the third attempt, to secure a 1-0 win, to enable them to keep the pressure on the leaders. The ‘second half’ of the table is led by Wakefield Strollers, who took a point from the league leaders, closely followed by Rochdale AFC Striders who enjoyed a rare unbeaten day out in the sun. Wigan Walkers and Tameside Striders Whites will need to get a move on if they are to catch hold of Moston Brook FC, and avoid the bottom places in the table; they could both do with a good October.

With the over 65s Division 2 December session falling on Christmas Day, they will play two sessions in October, the 23rd and 30th.Their final session will be played on 27th November, followed by the usual presentation and food. [Ed]

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