MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year to Everyone involved with Wirral Walking Football. Onwards & upwards next year with hopefully lots of new projects to announce. 

WIRRAL LOANEE SCORES OPENER FOR CHESTER

Wirral Walking Football loanee Georgie "Liam" Brady scored the opener for Chester yesterday in their 2-0 win over local rivals Northgate Rovers. Georgie (age 27 & counting), wearing his famed number 10 jersey coolly slotted home after a fine midfield move. Always modest in his celebrations, Georgie just smiled and pointed to the inside of his right foot with which he'd scored.

LAST WALKING FOOTBALL SESSION BEFORE CHRISTMAS

The football session at Soccerloco this Thursday will be the last before Christmas. Session runs from 3-4pm and cost is £3.00 per person.

Plans are already in place for sessions for the New Year with extra equipment and coaching.

Also we will be resuming coaching sessions under Stu Carrington in the New Year probably starting on Monday 11th January.

NO WALKING FOOTBALL AT SOCCERLOCO THIS THURSDAY

Due to most of the guys being involved in the Cheshire Walking Football League at Northwich, there will be no training session at Soccerloco in Bromborough this Thursday 19th November 2015.

WIRRAL WALKING FOOTBALL THIS THURSDAY

Wirral Walking Football this

Thursday at Soccerloco, Unit 3, Candy Park, Old Hall Road, Bromborough, Merseyside. CH62 3PE between 3-4pm. Everyone welcome. 

CHESHIRE WALKING FOOTBALL'S FIRST FESTIVAL

Some video footage from last Tuesday's event.

CHESHIRE WALKING FOOTBALL'S FIRST FESTIVAL.

Some shots from the Cheshire Walking Football Festival held on 22nd September in Knutsford as a prelude to a monthly walking football league to be held in Cheshire and run to a properly formulated set of rules determined by our steering group along with assistance from Adam Doyle & Cheshire F.A. Thanks to Age UK for their support & participation at the festival & also congratulations to Northgate Strollers, the eventual winners. Photos courtesy of Andy Jones.

LIVERPOOL WALKING FOOTBALL FESTIVAL

Injuries marred what would have been a very credible performance in Maghull last Saturday. Our 8 man squad was rapidly reduced to only 4 "fully fit" players but we soldiered on regardless. Best wishes to Shaughn, Gary, Pete & Alan for speedy recoveries and thanks to all who took part.

FOOTBALLER OF THE WEEK

Ron Turner - Goalkeeper Extraordinaire - is our latest player to receive the coveted Footballer Of The Week award for his outstanding performance between the sticks at last Thursday's session at Soccerloco.  Join us this and every Thursday at Soccerloco in Bromborough between 3-4pm.

DETAILS OF MAGHULL FESTIVAL - SATURDAY 19th SEPTEMBER 2015

LIVERPOOL Saturday September 19th

Active Soccer Sports Centre

Sefton Lane, Maghull L31 8BT

11am-3pm

5-a-side (squad of 8)

BBQ and bar

£25 per team. Prizes for 3rd, 2nd, 1st and Fair Play Award

Contact: Marc Whitwood 0151 5387684

sportscentre@activesoccer.co.uk

New kit available (shirts & shorts) - just bring your own socks (preferably white).

GREAT WALKING FOOTBALL SESSION

Great Walking Football session at Soccerloco in Bromborough yesterday. Warm ups, agility training and a very evenly contested match to finish.

photo courtesy of Stu Carrington.

WIRRAL WALKING FOOTBALL THIS and EVERY THURSDAY

Wirral Walking Football this & every Thursday at Soccerloco, Unit 3, Candy Park, Old Hall Road, Bromborough, Merseyside. CH62 3PE between 3-4pm. Everyone welcome. Stu will be back for the coaching so can a certain Mr. A Jones bring the Footballer Of The Week trophy with him.

WIRRAL RADIO INTERVIEW

Extract from the Wirral Radio interview kindly set up for Wirral Walking Football by Andy Pinkmoon Jones.

Audio courtesy of Wirral Radio.

Wirral Radio on 92.1 fm - your local station for news and sports.

FIRST FULL SESSION AT NEW VENUE

Great turnout for the WWF training session at Soccerloco in Bromborough yesterday. Good warm ups, ball control, shooting and a game to finish. 

If anyone new fancies joining us, we are at Soccerloco, Unit 3, Candy Park, Old Hall Road, Bromborough, Merseyside. CH62 3PE every Thursday between 3-4pm.

NEW KIT

We have now taken delivery of the new Wirral Walking Football kit. The kit needs some minor embellishments before it's first appearance at the WF festival in Maghull on the 19th September.

CHESHIRE WALKING FOOTBALL MEETING

Had a really productive meeting Of Cheshire Walking Football at Cheshire FA in Northwich yesterday. A brief summary is

1. Rules reviewed and agreed - final draft to be formatted.
2. Clarification of walking football FA recommendation for male and female teams.
3. Team registration forms to be sent out to organisations.
4. Festival details reviewed and agreed. 
5. Website to be developed with twitter and a forum to generate interest and feedback.

The latter will allow players to help develop further the structure of the game in Cheshire.

I will post a copy of the rules on here as soon as we receive them.

FOOTBALLER OF THE WEEK

At our most recent session, Andy Jones was presented with his walking Footballer Of The Week trophy by coach Stu Carrington. The picture shows Andy holding the trophy surrounded by some of his envious friends.

NEW NAME FOR WALKING FOOTBALL IN WIRRAL

We were recently informed by Tranmere Rovers that they did not wish to add an extra walking football session nor be involved in competitive walking football competitions. It was also requested that we cease to use the name Tranmere Rovers Walking Football. Therefore, we have decided to change the name of the blog to Wirral Walking Football. All future tournaments will not be affected and we will continue to work with Cheshire FA to further progress the future of walking football. The new venue and time for our sessions is Soccerloco in Bromborough from Thursday 3rd September from 3-4pm. This venue boasts a superb indoor astro turf pitch together with safety netting on the sides and top. There are also refreshments facilities available both before and after the sessions. Cost will be £3.00 per session. Stu Carrington from Everton will be coaching us. This session is a replacement for the Monday one at the Powerleague in Kirkdale.

NEW WALKING FOOTBALL WEBSITE

The new Cheshire Walking Football website is now up and running courtesy of Bill Murney. We have allowed some of our pictures to be uploaded onto the site. Check it out for up to date walking football news in Cheshire. 

http://cheshirewalkingfootball.uk/

FANTASTIC WALKING FOOTBALL FESTIVAL IN SEPTEMBER

ANOTHER GREAT SESSION

Great walking football session at Shaftsbury Youth Club yesterday. Very, very humid so lots of drinks breaks required (especially afterwards in the cool down). We are still looking for new players so if you are interested please contact Wirral Walking Football.

NEW VENUE - CHESHIRE FA

Apologies for the recent lack of updates. Whilst it would appear there has been very little activity - far from it.

Yesterday we had another great coaching session at Powerleague in Kirkdale with Stu. Shaughn was given the first Player Of The Week award . Well done mate. We will possibly be moving this session over to the Wirral in the very near future with a change of day to Thursday and a late afternoon / early evening time slot. The main reasons for this are to give the opportunity for people still working to attend and also to create a new cachment area for TRWF. This will not effect the regular Wednesday sessions.

We also represented Tranmere Rovers Walking Football at a meeting at Cheshire FA yesterday, with the intention of setting out the first set of FA sanctioned Walking Football rules. In all 46 points were discussed by a committee of seven and hopefully a new set of rules for walking football in Cheshire will be available in two weeks time. These rules will be implemented for the first time at the Cheshire Walking Football Showcase Tournament which will be held in Knutsford on Tuesday 22nd September 2015. (Further details to follow). This showcase will be a taster for a Cheshire based mini-league which will hopefully start in October. George and myself were elected as joint treasurers for the newly formed organisation which will henceforth be known as Cheshire Walking Football.

The next tournament for TRWF is at Active Soccer in Maghull on Saturday 19th September 2015 with an 11.00am start. (Again further details to follow).

TRANMERE WALKING FOOTBALL AT POWERLEAGUE IN KIRKDALE

Great first walking football fitness and coaching session at Powerleague in Kirkdale last Monday. Fun warm-ups, great football session and small-sided games, finishing off with penalties. Just what we needed before our next competitive outing in September.

A massive thank you to Everton Football Club and EITC Walk Of Life for allowing this to happen and an especially big thanks to Stu Carrington for sorting out the sessions and doing the coaching for us.

If anyone over 50 years of age would like to come, the EITC minibus collects us outside Prenton Park on Borough Road by the kop stand at 10.30pm on Mondays. Session runs fron 11.00am-noon.

You can contact us via Facebook. First session is free of charge with subsequent sessions charged at £3.00 per session and transport is provided.

COACHING SESSION ON MONDAY COURTESY OF EVERTON

A coaching session has been arranged over in Liverpool on Monday 10th August 2015 for any interested Tranmere Rovers Walking Football players. It will be taken by Stu Carrington - a coach at Everton ITC.

We have an outdoor astro pitch (power league) ready for us from 11.00am - noon.

Everton have kindly offered to pick us up in their minibus so interested parties need to be outside Prenton Park at the kop end on Borough Road for 10.15am. They will also drop us off after the session.

We will trial the sessions for initially 3 weeks to see how they go. The first session is FREE so please email George if you would like to come - with subsequent weeks @ £3.00 per session.

This session is in addition to the Tranmere one on Wednesdays and NOT instead of.

Goalie Ron practices at the Egremont Festival

BUILDING WALKING FOOTBALL BRIDGES WITH OUR NEIGHBOURS

We had a great meeting with Stu Carrington at Everton F.C. about walking football. We discussed a variety of subjects including training, mini leagues, expanding sessions etc. This was a very productive meeting and hopefully the liaison and links between Everton & Tranmere Rovers Walking Football will get stronger and stronger. Many thanks Stu for your hospitality.

VISIT TO CHESHIRE FA

We visited Cheshire FA on Tuesday last, together with six other interested parties, with a view to organizing the first official FA Walking Football Working Group in England. The first priority is to agree on a set of rules to which organizers of walking football competitions and festivals in Cheshire will agree to abide by. At our next meeting in August we hope to have agreed the basic set of rules and we will try to keep you updated accordingly. It was also suggested that we organize a festival in September to showcase walking football in Cheshire with a view to forming a league structure possibly the following month.

If you cannot comprehend the above photo perhaps you are too young for walking football.

ANOTHER GREAT TURN OUT

Great turn out again at the walking football yesterday guys. Welcome to three new faces Frank, Dave & Jock.

NEW SPACE MARKERS

New space markers have arrived ready for our ballwork / coaching sessions which initially will take place at Shaftsbury Youth Club from 10.00am to 11.00am starting on Wednesday 29th July 2015.

OLD RIVALRIES RENEWED

A familiar rivalry was renewed on Sunday 19th July 2015 when Tranmere Rovers visited Chester for a pre-season friendly. No, not the first teams, this was the walking football version, and we had been invited to take part in their Open Day celebrations. Unfortunately Chester did not have a goalkeeper so immediately went into the emergency loan market to bring in experienced keeper Ron Turner from Tranmere Rovers Walking Football. (Well they made us an offer of 48p which we couldn't refuse). It was a very well fought 6-a-side game in which both sides created lots of chances. However the final outcome was a win for Chester by the odd goal in nine. TRWF can again be proud of their achievements so far in this new format of the Beautiful Game. Many thanks go to Chester FC and particularly Steph for their hospitality and friendliness both before, during & after the game. The Open Day was a credit to Chester FC.
May the rivalry long continue.

CHESTER FC OPEN DAY - Sunday 19th July 2015

Chester Walking Football have invited us to take part in an informal walking football session at Goals in Chester (opposite Chester FC football ground) in Bumpers Lane Chester from 10am - noon as part of their Open Day celebrations.

If enough people attend the intention is to arrange some friendly matches so bring your TRWF kit. Another chance for us to fly the flag.

No need to register for this one just turn up if you fancy it.

Address:

Goals Soccer Centre
4 Talbot Way
Off Bumpers Lane
Chester
CH1 4LT

MINUTES OF TRWF MEETING on 10th July 2015.

George & I had a meeting with Steve & Louise to clarify & gain answers to some of the points raised at the group meeting of 24^th June 2015. Whilst every point on the agenda was not brought up individually, most questions have been answered or deferred due to building work.

SUMMARY

The Wednesday sessions will stay exactly as they are (turn up & play). They will continue at Shaftsbury Youth Club until the refurbishment at the Recreation Centre is completed. If the numbers increase at these sessions, extra sessions will be considered, but the likelihood is that they will be at other venues around the Wirral in order to create different catchment areas. George & I have volunteered to help out if this occurs. Steve’s sessions, Steve’s rules.

On the competitive side, George & I will be setting up a coaching / ballwork session for those interested in the festivals / tournaments. Venue, dates & times TBA. This will only be available to those who come to the turn up & play sessions, although they are not dependant on age or ability. They are not designed to form some sort of walking football superstar team, but to help in the organisation & teamwork for those people who would like to perform better at tournaments. More on organisation, team selection etc will be discussed at these sessions including possibly appointing a team manager & captain.

The £2.00 a week fees go towards the rental of the recreation centre from TRFC. Without going into too much detail, Tranmere In The Community is a registered charity and hires the recreation centre. While we are at the Shafts we are being subsidised by TITC.

Mark & Nicola Palios want to encompass Walking Football in the same way  as other footballing activities at the club as we found out at the recent open day and would like to be updated on the progress. However, they are insistent that we need to be a self-regulating, self-sustaining body. However, it was pointed out that in the future some funds may be available from Sport England if we can show an increase in members. Steve would be grateful if we ran our ideas past him first before putting anything that involves the club directly into practice.

We must also remember that we represent TRFC when we are at these festivals / competitions and must act accordingly in the best interests of ourselves and the football club. George & I will get together & put out an informative code of conduct leaflet so that all current plus future members are aware of these requirements. Some of these measures covered will only apply to the competitive side of course.

There are changing rooms available at most places we play, including the recreation centre, so could players please in future use these facilities. Nobody minds you putting on boots at the side of the pitch or in the rec centre canteen, but for anything else please use the facilities provided. There has been a complaint from passers by about players using the canteen at the rec centre to change. This rule applies to all teams not just us. Unfortunately, there are no showers available.

We will try to get more walking football info posted on the website at TRFC but that will obviously depend on how much WE submit through Steve.

George & I have been asked by Steve & Louise to act as representatives for the walking football group and as such liaise with them. Therefore can all queries, suggestions etc be passed on to us and we will endeavour to gain a response. Steve is directly responsible to Mark & Nicola Palios and as such reports to them approximately every three months.

Other items on the agenda (Kitchen, etc) cannot be addressed until the Recreation Centre is refurbished.

If you have any points to raise on the above, George & myself will do our best to answer them.

Don’t forget the first team friendlies have started and there’s still time to get your season tickets for 2015/16.

FRODSHAM WALKING FOOTBALL FESTIVAL

Tranmere Rovers Walking Football took part in their fourth competition / festival at Frodsham on Sunday. Eventually selecting six-a-side from a squad of eight with rolling subs, we managed a very credible third in our group with two draws and an unlucky loss, just missing out on the semi-finals. The long gap between our second and third games did not help us but it was a very organised team performance and congratulations to all the players. We met some old friends & rivals there and also made new ones as well. The weather stayed fine for the most part. The competition had two referees, both very capable at their jobs (Football League take note). Pitch markings were excellent. All in all a great day.

LATEST ON FRODSHAM FESTIVAL - Sun 12th July 2015

No minibus availablefor this trip so we'll all have to make our own way there. If anyone needs a lift, please let me know otherwise the address is:

Saltworks Farm,

Ship Street,

Frodsham.

WA6 7NW

Registration is at 10.30am for an 11.00am kick off.

Tranmere Rovers Walking Football is always lookings for new players, so if you're over 50 and fancy giving it a try, PM me on here for further details.

LATEST ON FRODSHAM FESTIVAL - Sun 12th July 2015

We need to register in at Frodsham at 10.30am. Tournament starts at 11.00am. So it looks like we will have to meet at Prenton Park at say 9.30am. Not been given any confirmation as to whether we can have the minibus on the Sunday. Will give out more info at our next session on Wednesday.

CHANGE OF VENUE Wednesday 1st July 2015

This Wednesday's walking football session for the over-50s will take place at Shaftsbury Youth Club between 11am and noon due to refurbishment at the recreation centre.

Shaftsbury Youth Club
60 Mendip Road
Birkenhead
Merseyside
CH42 8NU

TRFC OPEN DAY

A few of us in the Walking Football group joined in the fun at the recent open day where we also tried to encourage new recruits to join us, as can be seen in the photo.

Picture courtesy of George Brady.

LATEST ON ANDY JONES

Hey Guys,

The following was left on Andy's Facebook page:

Claire here - just to let people know that Andy has been taken into hospital following some sort of seizure this afternoon. They are keeping him in overnight and doing tests. He is much improved and feeling better but any good wishes or prayers would be most welcome. Will keep you informed x

Needless to say all our best wishes go to Andy & Claire and here's hoping for a very speedy recovery.

Our thoughts are with you.

Latest: Andy has been discharged from the Royal Hospital after tests. See you soon mate.

NEW KIT RE-ORDER

Due to the overwhelming sales of our new kit, we have ordered 3 more full strips in size XL numbered 15 16 17. These will be available to purchase at £23.00 each if anyone is interested.
We still have one kit available in size large, number 9 at £20.00.

MORE PICS FROM THE CHESTER FESTIVAL