I am over 65,overweight, had a heart attack 3 years ago, and have little in the way of any ball skills, but I am going to have a go on Thursday. I am a bit worried I may make a bit of a **** of myself !
Anyone else done it ?

Not personally, but a friend of mine plays walking football and really enjoys it. Do it! What have you got to lose?

A small bit of pride, I guess. The chap who runs it is a Claret and he has told me to wear my Burnley shirt, I might let the side down.
Seriously though I am looking forward to it as long as it is not taken too seriously.

Claretforshaw wrote:I am over 65,overweight, had a heart attack 3 years ago, and have little in the way of any ball skills, but I am going to have a go on Thursday. I am a bit worried I may make a bit of a **** of myself !
Anyone else done it ?

I'm 65, overweight, never had any ball skills (as those who played football alongside me will tell you). You won't make a bit of anything of yourself - just do it and enjoy it.

My dad is 79 1/2 and goes every Monday and is like a little kid. I get a text off him every time he scores. He's not a big mobile phone user.

Playing it and have coached it, but in view of your heart problem history and with your health in mind.

Have you spoken to your doctor 1st?

It's run and overseen by professionals dealing with cardiac/stoke rehab so I am sure I will be Ok but seeing my Doctor this week for a diabetic review so I will run it past him...... which is probably more than I will be doing with the ball at my feet.
The responses to the post are encouraging though.

Been playing it all my career

We paid good money for a few walking footballers in the 80s and 90s.

It is great fun, thoroughly recommend it for reliving your youth as well as exercise.

Claretforshaw wrote:A small bit of pride, I guess. The chap who runs it is a Claret and he has told me to wear my Burnley shirt, I might let the side down.
Seriously though I am looking forward to it as long as it is not taken too seriously.

Wear a B***tard's shirt just to be on the safe side mate

I have been thinking of doing it for a while now, but haven't got round to sorting it out yet.

Please let me know how you go on, you may just be my inspiration.

Good luck with it.

If you can walk about when all around you
Teammates and opponents amble too,
If you can plod along when teammates doubt you
But make allowance for their plodding too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting
Or being waited on, don’t hurtle by
Or being slated, don’t give way to slating
But calmly keep the further goal in sight;

If you can dream, but not think yourself master;
If you can think, and not divert your aim
If you can cross or shoot but move no faster
And passing long, don’t pull up lame;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue
Whilst never rushing the old golden touch;
If neither refs’ nor linos’ faults can hurt you,
If opponents run by you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With fifteen seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the game, so go and win it,
And - which is more - you'll walk it! Tell ’em: ‘On me ’ead, then, son!'

Btw, I'm thinking of having a go too.

I'm 54 now and until about two years ago was playing regular Monday night and Thursday night football (5's and 9's).

The knees went and it was taking me longer and longer to recover so I packed it in but missed it like hell.

Back in the October I was talking to a bloke at work about football and he mentioned he plays walking football at Annan FC (near us). so I thought bllx , I'll have a crack at that.

All the usual stick from pals and my lads but I tell you what its a great craic. Real mixture of abilities and ages but no one cares. Numbers have grown since I started from about 18 to about 30 regulars now. We play round robin 6 a side games with 3 touch for the first hour or so and then finish of with an all in game.

Good social aspect as well with the clubhouse at Annan and regular quarterly booze ups.

Now talking about some competitive matches, tough I think we might have to tighten up on the rules and the running. Not running is the hardest bit!!!

Bloody good exercise ( I was knackered after the first couple of sessions) and great fun as long as you dont take it too seriously. Get it done!

Go for it. Berbatov made a career out of it. I still made him look like George Boyd mind.

I am convinced, tomorrow's my first session, I will keep you posted when I emerge from the oxygen tent and dustbin of iced water as recommended by Grezza.

Do you get tackled?

Again you are not supposed to tackle but intercept. However that is something else that we dont do well. Plenty of tackles flying in.

I'm also interested but am currently out for the count with a chest infection.

Claretforshaw wrote:It's run and overseen by professionals dealing with cardiac/stoke rehab so I am sure I will be Ok but seeing my Doctor this week for a diabetic review so I will run it past him...... which is probably more than I will be doing with the ball at my feet.
The responses to the post are encouraging though.

Hi Claretforshaw, go for it, I'm sure it's the best thing you can do for your physical and mental health - that and watching the Clarets in the Prem!

I was playing 5-a-side last year when I had heart attack - aged 62. It was "Dad's and lads" that night - usually just Dads, but the lads joined us when we were short of "oldies." So, age range 62 (me) down to 22 (or so).

I've done the cardio rehab phase 3 and phase 4, changed diet (avoiding sugar except in fruit and veg), slimmed down 13kg and I'm now doing at least 1 hour vigorous exercise per week - nearly a year since heart attack (as you know, these things need time). I'm half toying with the idea of joining up with the 5-a-side team again - I'm probably fitter now than I was 5 years ago (I didn't know I was carrying a blocked artery...).

Walking football looks great, I'm sure it's how I'll "get my kicks" - yes, pun intended, sorry - that way when I find a game near me. Or, I just need to wait a few years for the rest of the team I was playing with to get a little older. The rules might need to be modified to allow the occasional tackle - I grew up as a big fan of Brian O'Neill.

UTC

Claretforshaw

Staying active and having fun at the same time is far better than many medicines dished out by the doctor.

Enjoy yourself and keep us posted on your first experience of walking football.

They have started in the Leisure Centre close to me so I might give it a go given all of the positive feedback on here.

Claretforshaw wrote:I am over 65,overweight, had a heart attack 3 years ago, and have little in the way of any ball skills, but I am going to have a go on Thursday. I am a bit worried I may make a bit of a **** of myself !
Anyone else done it ?

Play in goal?

boatshed bill wrote:Play in goal?

Surely it's "rush goalie" if it's walking football?

The verdict......Had my first session at the Rochdale Leisure Centre this morning, joining twenty or more fellow "Walking Footballers" who made this Southerner, now living in the North, most welcome. A very friendly bunch of Locals with different levels of ability but with the same objective of having fun.....a bit of a laugh.
Having not played football seriously since my school days I felt, and must have looked, clumsy and awkward but I was not alone and it didn't matter. I had three 10 minute six aside games which was surprisingly tiring and I discovered muscles I didn't realise I had. Despite suffering a minor groin strain (!) I really enjoyed it and I am already looking forward to next week. I was right about one thing.....I was rubbish BUT I scored a goal that even our Andre
would have been pleased with.

Where do BFC hold their sessions and on what day and time, does anyone know?

South West Claret. wrote:Where do BFC hold their sessions and on what day and time, does anyone know?

Based on some of comments on here last w/end, I believe the next walking football game is Sunday afternoon in Liverpool.

UTC

A link to the walking football section of the website. Might see you there
when I sort it.

http://www.burnleyfccommunity.org/healt ... -football/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks FD, I'm thinking of coming up for the Spurs and Stoke games and would like a game while up there.

Anybody know what ETC stands for please ? I assume it's the venue and is, what
was known as, the gym at the rear of the JH stand.

maccclaret wrote:My dad is 79 1/2 and goes every Monday and is like a little kid. I get a text off him every time he scores. He's not a big mobile phone user.

My dad's the same, he plays with Burnley FC in the Community at the centre behind the Turf.

Hilariously his one own goal got caught on camera and tweeted by the club, he's still trying to live that down...

Looks like a 3G, is that right?

Come on someone..is it or not

ETC....elite training centre?

Having posted the "verdict" after my first session, in the second session I managed to pull a hamstring ( grade 2, no less, according to the physio !) so out of action for six weeks. I think this demonstrates the merits of a proper warm up or stretching before taking part. I hope this is not the end of a promising walking football career as I was beginning to enjoy myself. I am comforted In the knowledge that all the best footballers have a hamstring injury at one time or another !!

Check out any vids on Bernd Schuster, that might inspire.

The Enclosure wrote:ETC....elite training centre?

Cheers for that, assume that's a posh name for the gym ?

Claretforshaw wrote:Having posted the "verdict" after my first session, in the second session I managed to pull a hamstring ( grade 2, no less, according to the physio !) so out of action for six weeks. I think this demonstrates the merits of a proper warm up or stretching before taking part. I hope this is not the end of a promising walking football career as I was beginning to enjoy myself. I am comforted In the knowledge that all the best footballers have a hamstring injury at one time or another !!

Haha...same happened to me...my left peg must be worth its weight in gold...volleys were flying in, one touch passes were pinged across the gym behind the Longside Defour style...plus ball control that puts Andre to shame...unfortunatly I.'ve a right leg I can barely stand on, so as a 63 yr old I.m thinking of hanging up my boots

Glad you are enjoying it CF, had hamstring problems from my mid-20's onwards so you have my sympathy.

Your right about the importance of warming properly before kicking a ball.

A tip you might want to consider is when your 6 weeks is up (and I now swear by it) is never ever from now on start a game without compression supports on both upper legs, worked for me and no pulled or stained hamstrings for about the last 3 years now so it might work for you.

Good luck on your return.

Claretforshaw wrote:Having posted the "verdict" after my first session, in the second session I managed to pull a hamstring ( grade 2, no less, according to the physio !) so out of action for six weeks. I think this demonstrates the merits of a proper warm up or stretching before taking part. I hope this is not the end of a promising walking football career as I was beginning to enjoy myself. I am comforted In the knowledge that all the best footballers have a hamstring injury at one time or another !!

Perhaps you are now ClaretDefour!

Not walking football, but this article about 5-a-side in the Guardian last w/end captures the "spirit of the game."

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle ... ead-height" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sorry, don't think I've posted this link correctly....

Edit:No, all OK, link works!

Trouble at mill, no WF on Monday at TM because of the school hols, and I'm coming all this way as well... snot fair

Hopefully there might be a way around.

South West Claret. wrote:Trouble at mill, no WF on Monday at TM because of the school hols, and I'm coming all this way as well... snot fair

Hopefully there might be a way around.

Pfft what school holidays got to do with walking football.
Last thing you need is young kids playing

South West Claret. wrote:Trouble at mill, no WF on Monday at TM because of the school hols, and I'm coming all this way as well... snot fair

Hopefully there might be a way around.

No way round, I asked "what about Gawthorpe " then? Answer only used for the 1st/Dev teams.

What a sauce.. think they own the place

You might just find this useful whilst you are up here depending on how long you are staying - good luck.

http://www.stanleytrust.co.uk/walking-football/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Barstewards also do it, but you will be playing their first team ! Just think of the gloating rights
and how many you could kick into the air.

http://www.rovers.co.uk/news/article/20 ... 28240.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

After my 7 week enforced hamstring break I played for the first time again this week and didn't cover myself in glory. In the excitement I tackled one of my own players but kept well away from the only female player who I am sure tackled me from behind a few weeks back causing the hamstring problem !! I think she is stalking me as I am obviously the weak link in the side.
After a couple of games I went in goal for a while and guess what, didn't cover myself in glory again, I rolled the ball out to an opposing player who squeezed the ball passed me into the net....but I still enjoyed myself despite looking a bit of a twerp !!

Report from ClaretDEFOURshaw.

You been back since your last post CDFS? if so did you do better.

I finally managed to make an appearance at the ETC today run by BFC in the community.
19 players turned up, two teams of six and one of seven playing 4 minute games in
a round robin style format. We were put through thorough warm ups before we started
playing.

Really enjoyed myself despite having to breath through my backside ! Missed my last
game through a tight hamstring and will miss a week or two as a result.

It's very surprising how strenuous it is and I am hoping to build my fitness up as a result.

A friend of mine who uses this board took it up and got an injury too