Walking Football Coedpoeth Wrexham
Two gentlemen from Coedpoeth were part of teams representing Wales in the recent over 65s football World Cup held in Copenhagen.
Reserves of Energy
Following trials in Newtown, Dave Donaghy and Geoff Pilmoor from the Coepdoeth Walking Football Club pulled on the famous red jersey. They won not only the 65+ Walking competition but also the Running event as well.
Dave said: “There were two tournaments over two days with 16 games in all. The weather was kind for the most part, a bit too kind on the Sunday, really. The lads had to dig deep into their energy reserves to overcome the opposition and the warm sunshine. It seemed like every muscle had been stretched to the limit and then some!
“The final whistle in the last game could not have come soon enough. Every player had given his all; some dropped to the ground, others threw their arms around each other – both out of sheer relief and, in some cases, to stop a teammate from collapsing.
Once In A Lifetime
“This was possibly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and throughout the competition, there was a desire and belief that we could win.”
Teams from all around the world were competing, including Gibraltar, the defending champions. Wales were dominant in the tournament. They won six and drew one of their first seven games, meaning they knew they had already won the trophy before playing their last game.
On the following day, they entered the 65+ running football tournament. This competition involved eight games, of which Wales won six, drew one and lost one. They surprised everyone by winning this competition as well.
Memories Will Never Fade
Donaghy added: “To say I am proud of every player doesn’t seem enough. Our legs will ache for days afterwards, but the memories will never fade.
“This was a team who, before the tournament, had never played a game together. However, the occasion transformed 10 individuals into a formidable machine. Mistakes were forgotten, and a sense of camaraderie blossomed within the team. Every player was an inspiration to the other.
“Hedley Austin, our manager, proved himself to be a true gentleman, and we thank him for that.
This invitational two-day amateur/grassroots tournament has taken place annually throughout Europe since 2006. Next year’s edition will be in May in Zurich, Switzerland. You can find more information here.
Coedpoeth Walking Football Club play Mondays and Fridays at noon on the Coedpoeth “MUGA” by the Golden Lion.
To see more about sports and football on our website, click here.
Walking Football Coedpoeth Wrexham
