From the age of eight, I’d always wanted to be a footballer. At sixteen, my dream came true, and I was signed, on school boy forms, for Bradford City. I knuckled down to my training, and drank my raw egg in milk every day. Then, when my chance came to claim a place in the juniors team, I took it with both feet. But all that came to a stop twelve games later, when I was kicked by a Sunderland Junior player, just before half time in the juniors match, down at Bradford’s Valley Parade. A dislocated ankle, plus a double fracture of my tibia and fibia, put paid to my dreams of becoming a professional. Forty three years – and thirty one jobs – later, I retired. I was sixty one years old. Football had long since passed me by. But, after a trip to Australia, and seeing my cousins over there all involved in the game, I came back with a renewed vigour to play again.

My only option then was Walking Football. “I know that won’t be any good!” But I gave it a try – and it is fantastic. I play football now, both socially & competitively, in leagues, tournaments and friendlies.

In 2017, I was at a Bradford City Forum, and talked about demonstrating Walking Football on the Bradford City football pitch at half time. It was agreed. And just three weeks later, I took twenty seven people, aged from fifty to seventy three years old, from Wakefield Walking Football Club to Bradford City. It was absolutely amazing to see how everyone loved it, including the seventy year olds. There was one man in particular I remember, who has Parkinson’s Disease. He has never stopped smiling since! This led to Bradford City asking if we wanted to be their go-to team, for representing Bradford City in any future Walking Football events. Answer: yes please. Since then, my Wakefield Walking Football team mates and I have represented Bradford City in various Walking Football tournaments, and I have very proudly worn their shirts. At the last event, I even scored the winning goal, which won us third place out of the sixty teams entered. I have not stopped smiling ever since, either. So – I am no longer ‘retired’. I’m a Wakefield Wanderers Walking Footballer!