After 50 years in local football, popular Warwick footballer tells his story of getting hooked on walking football!
A man from Warwick has written and published a book telling the story of his walking football club.
For more than 50 years, Phil Haycock has been involved in local football. He played for Avon Rovers during the 1980s, for whom he scored more than 100 goals.
He then went on to become a local football coach and in 2001, he was involved in setting up Woodloes Juniors FC with Kim and Dean Brandrick, that later became Warwick Juniors, who today have more than 20 boys and girls’ teams playing.
The book, “Gentlemen! Gentlemen!”, looks at the benefits of playing walking football, which has now become a global phenomenon.
Speaking about when he joined the club in 2022, Phil said: “Initially I couldn’t see how the words ‘walking’ and ‘football’ could possibly go together.”
However, he said he became immediately hooked.
The book recounts how the group started in 2019 and how it ended up at Racing Club Warwick FC in 2022, with the support of its chairman, Gary Vella.
It also tells the life stories of several of the players and how they found their way to the group.
Phil added: “Readers will find from the players accounts, that, within the club, there are players that have faced both physical and mental illness, have suffered the loss of loved ones and struggled with the myriad of everyday problems that arise as they get older.
“It is a testament to them that they have overcome or learnt how to deal with the struggles they have faced.”
Warwick Walking Football’s first session happened in 2019 and attracted only two players.
Numbers soon increased to 10 and today the membership is 50 players aged 57 to 80 years old.
The game has its own set of rules and teams of five to seven players play games for 20 minutes. There is no running and no tackling.
The club have played played in a number of tournaments both at home and abroad and in June last year hosted its own 10 team tournament at Racing Club Warwick.
Phil said: “Whilst the football is great fun, health professionals acknowledge the benefits towards players physical and mental wellbeing.
"The social side of walking football is also important and for some players this can be the main reason they participate.
“The camaraderie is fantastic and can lead to new long lasting friendships giving players a sense of purpose and belonging, with a group of like-minded people which in turn helps with their self-confidence and self-esteem.
“The banter in the pub afterwards is also most rewarding.”
Phil also wanted to thank Simon Dainty, graphic designer and member of the walking football club, who helped him design the book cover and helped with the process of getting the book published and ready for printing.
Copies of the book can be purchased by emailing: [email protected]
Two pounds from each book sold is donated to The Aylesford Unit at Warwick Hospital and so far sales and other donations have raised more than £500.