The second round of fixtures for the inaugural Scottish Walking Football League takes place at Ravenscraig tomorrow.
Hearts are fielding two teams, named after Scottish Cup winning years.
Hearts 56 face Stirling, Ayr United and Fife Wanderers whilst Hearts 98 face Stenhousemuir, Stirling and Ayr United.
After tomorrow’s games, the league will shut down for June and July to allow for summer holidays.
Billy Singh, Walking Football Development Officer, Paths for All says: “Walking football has seen a massive growth over the last few years with over 600 players taking part in games across Scotland on a weekly basis. We already have a national walking football festival and regional festivals so it made sense to pilot a national league. The benefits of playing walking football include improving physical and mental well-being, building new friendships and signposting to other activities in their local area. All players will be given pedometers to calculate how many steps are taken during games and to encourage players to build walking into their daily routine. I would encourage people to come along and support the teams and to find to out more about walking football.”
Former player Craig Dargo and now SFA Football Development Officer for North Lanarkshire Leisure says: “We are delighted to be hosting the National walking football league in partnership with NHS Lanarkshire. Walking Football has proved a great success in North Lanarkshire and is a fantastic way to keep in shape, socialise and to play the game we love. Not only was the quality of games in the opening league meetings fantastic, the manner in which the games were played in made it an enjoyable spectacle to watch and im sure to play in.
Walking Football ambassador Davie Hay says: “It’s great to see so many teams from all over Scotland competing in the national walking football league. The growth of this version of the beautiful game has been phenomenal and I am heartened by the fact that we have so many people still playing football in their later years.”
Week 2 Fixtures – 24th May 2017
Game 1
Tullibody Community FC v North Lanarkshire
Stenhousemuir v Hearts 98
Stirling v Hearts 56
Ayr United v Greater Glasgow United
Fife Wanderers v Gala Fairydean Rovers
Game 2
Gala Fairydean Rovers v Tullibody Community FC
Greater Glasgow United v Fife Wanderers
Hearts 56 v Ayr United
Hearts 98 v Stirling
North Lanarkshire v Stenhousemuir
Game 3
Tullibody Community FC v Stenhousemuir
Stirling v North Lanarkshire
Ayr United v Hearts 98
Fife Wanderers v Hearts 56
Gala Fairydean Rovers v Greater Glasgow United
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
