Member Article

Walking footballers ‘wander’ into new partnership with Dacres

A talented team of walking footballers are sporting a new kit thanks to a sponsorship agreement with estate agency firm Dacre, Son & Hartley. The Easingwold Wanderers formed three years ago and have over 20 players aged between 50 and 76 years old, who play regular matches and compete in tournament games. Set up by Tim Dickens and Steve Webster, the group plays every Wednesday night at Easingwold’s Galtres Centre or at Ampleforth’s indoor sports facilities, and compete on a weekend against teams from across the UK. Tim said: “Together with Steve, who used to compete on a world-wide level in motorbike racing, we were keen to create a welcoming group where men of a certain age can come together to keep fit and gain a new lease of life, whilst playing a competitive sport. Having played football all my life and coached younger squads at Easingwold FC, as many other members have done, I then suffered a heart attack and thought I’d never play again. However, walking football is the ideal sport for someone like me, who wants to keep fit and be part of a team sport. It’s really taken off in the last year or so, with the Football Association’s backing. “Our friendly group are a great bunch, and whenever somebody new comes to give the game a try, nine times out of ten they join up right away. This year we have competed in the Northern Premier League, playing teams that have up to 150 members, and our highlight was beating Manchester City, which was no mean feat considering how relatively small our group is. We also have lots of social events and will soon be hosting a lads and dads match with a meal afterwards, which is always a highlight. “The sponsorship from Dacres in Thirsk has enabled us to invest in a blue tournament kit that’s really smart, and we are very proud to display the firm’s logo as we travel the country playing matches.” Sales manager, Andrew Skelton at Dacres in Thirsk, said: “Our lettings manager, Kate Dickens, is Tim’s daughter, so we found out about this sport through her. Based in the heart of Thirsk, we operate throughout Easingwold selling and letting a huge range of property and we were keen to give our backing to a local team that plays an important role in our community.”
Walking football is a variation of association football that is aimed at keeping people aged over 50 involved with football.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emma Mortimer .