Cornwall Walking Football 

Cornwall Walking Football 

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The Wonderful World of Walking Football 

So What Is Walking Football?

Walking football is different to regular Association Football in many ways and is aimed at the over 50’s age group. Many tournaments are now catering exclusively for the over 60’s age group.

It has very specific rules that outlaw all running and allows no contact between players. Over-head height restrictions and indirect free kicks ensure that the sport is played safely with full consideration to the participants’ age.

Teams are either 5 or 6-a-side. As a result of these rules, games are played at a slower pace, thus reducing the threat of pain, discomfort and injury, with players briskly walking through matches. This allows people who have loved the sport all their lives to once again safely get back to playing and also introduces the sport to people who perhaps have never considered playing before.

Walking Football in Cornwall 

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Lanivet Walking Football Festival Teams

Lanivet Walking Football Festival Teams

If You're Going To Do It, Do It Right 

Have a look at this video which is helpful on  explaining some of the rules of the game. 

A Short History of Walking Football

From the days of long shorts and dodgy moustaches to the reintroduction of our fantastic game in 2011, there doesn’t seem to be a definitively accepted history of walking football – so we sent our intrepid reporter out on a mission to see what he could discover…

A little known fact about walking football is that the first-ever game took place all the way back in May 1932, between a team of Derby Railway and Crewe Railway veterans at the Baseball Ground, home to the Rams until 1997. The spectator admission fees, three pence for standing or sixpence for seats, were donated to charitable causes – and more than 1,500 turned up.

The match finished 1-1 with Steve Bloomer, Derby County’s all time leading scorer playing the role of referee at the age of 58. All of the players on the pitch were over 65 years old and the Derby Telegraph reported on the match by writing:

Bald heads, white moustaches and red faces were the order of the day, while one man played in spectacles. The combined age of the Derby team was 741 and of Crewe 733.

This one off game was repeated annually until 1936, but then walking football vanished until an initiative by the Chesterfield FC Community Trust in 2011 saw the creation of the Chesterfield Senior Spireites – reviving the game and marking the birth of walking football as we know it.

The initial aim was to help over 50s in the local area get back in touch with the sport they love, yet in the process they managed to create something so much bigger.

The initiative, which came long before national festivals and an official FA rulebook, was part of the local Walk for Health programme and was only ever intended as a casual kick about for local players. The first matches were three a side with no goalkeepers. There were no rules as such, due to the relaxed nature of the game – just don’t run and have plenty of fun.

However the sport soon took off. Very quickly Chesterfield Senior Spireites saw their numbers grow, and they now have 40 players regularly attending sessions. In 2015 a satellite club, Hasland Walking Football Club, who run separate sessions once per week, joined them, helping to bolster numbers along the way.

This followed on from the big marketing push that walking football needed to go national. An advertising campaign from Barclays Bank featuring a bloke called Roy extolled the virtues of our wonderful game. This was quickly followed by thousands of enquiries from players looking to get their footballing fix, and as a result a proliferation in teams.

For many over 50s, it was the first chance to get out on the pitch again in decades. It presented an opportunity to create new social circles and created a level playing field for all, whether 18 or 80.

The Barclays campaign reached millions and saw the creation of the first walking football teams from Premier League clubs. Manchester City, at the time having just completed their sparkling new training centre next to the Etihad Stadium, the first in England’s top flight. The Scottish Premier League’s Glasgow Rangers were not far behind.

All of which brings us up to where we are today, with regular tournaments and festivals and thousands of players competing not just in the UK, but around the globe.

ENGLAND WALKING FOOTBALL TRIALS 

Finally!

England Walking Football are holding trials for age groups 'Over 50s' and 'Over 60s'. 

The South West Regional trial is on Saturday 1st February, in Chippenham.

(This is an IWFF/TRA event. At the time of this post, the FA does not have any England walking football trials or team in the pipeline. Wales has a WFA national team but no FA team).

WFA NATIONAL CUP 2020 ENTRIES 

 WFA NATIONAL CUP 2020 ENTRIES & FORMAT
ENTRIES:


Entries will be open by December 1st via the WFA website
If you are a FT member and either have or will renew by 1st March, you are entitled to 2 free entries from the 3 age groups.
If you have not FT affiliated you will have to pay a £25 entrance fee per age group.
To make the registration process more simple than the past, you will now have to pay on registration (if a payment is due).
A minimum of 8 players will need to be registered by 1st March 2020.
A maximum of 15 players can be registered for each team during the tournament.
Players can play in more than one age group if eligible. In the case of the over 65s only the goalkeepers can be over 60.
Tournament rules are largely unchanged from 2019 and will be sent out with the draw.
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AFFILIATE TO THE WFA
By affiliating with the WFA you will be showing support for our work and will be able to vote on important things like changes to the LOTG.
It therefore makes financial sense to join now and benefit from the 2 free entries. You can affiliate via the website:
Grand Finalists will be asked to make an additional nominal fee contribution.
WFA 2020 Laws of the Game to be used with no variations
 FUN, FRIENDSHIP & FITNESS

 FORMAT:
WFA NATIONAL CUP 2020 ENTRIES & FORMAT
February 28th—Closing date for registration. Fees to be paid and squad lists with dobs submitted by this date.
March 7th—1st Round Draw for all 3 competitions.
Weekend round dates as per special National Cup newsletter
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All games will be 6 a side with 3 rolling substitutes permitted. Squad of 9.
Match Duration—20 mins each way. In the event of a draw, extra time of 5 mins each way to be played. If still not decided best of 3 penalties followed by sudden death penalties.
The Draws— Please arrange to play on the weekend dates nominated. If this proves impossible, please contact the WFA for guidance.
The home team will arrange and pay for the pitch and referee.
Exchange of team sheets—Both teams should exchange team sheets and photo ids (for proof of dobs.)
WFA Referees to be used- always.
Referees will be reporting any cases of poor conduct by teams which may result in their expulsion.
FUN, FRIENDSHIP & FITNESS

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