Abingdon Almost Athletic Walking Football Club: An Inspiring Look Back in Time

Article five of the Tilsley Times, written by Abingdon ‘Almost Athletic’ Walking Football Club

Initially sparked by an Age Concern article promoting the physical and mental health benefits of walking football in January 2016, a small group of local men got together for a kick-about on one of the original board-lined 3G pitches at Tilsley Park. The sessions soon attracted enough like-minded individuals for Abingdon Almost Athletic Walking Football Club to be officially formed, hosting regular Tuesday and Friday sessions.

Year on year, our membership has steadily grown, and 2025 saw an incredible increase from 51 members in January to 70 by December. Our members range in age from 55 to 77. A key aim for the season was to attract female members, and we were delighted to recently welcome one for the first time since a talented young footballer attended our sessions several years ago as part of her rehabilitation after losing a leg in a car accident.

Alongside our regular and thriving recreational sessions, we have also developed a strong competitive squad, with teams competing in two age groups in the Thames Valley and Oxfordshire Walking Football Leagues.

Notable successes during 2025 included:

• Over-65s gaining promotion to the top division of the Thames Valley League as champions of Division Two.

• Over-70s retaining the Oxfordshire League title and completing the double by winning the Oxfordshire Cup. This league success qualifies them to represent Oxfordshire in the National Over-70s Champions League tournament in July 2026.

• The Over-70s finishing as runners-up in the Thames Valley Cup and currently challenging strongly for top spot in the Thames Valley Winter League.

Many of our club players have also gone on to represent Oxfordshire County sides, with several earning international caps.

Each summer, we host our Festival of Walking Football, which attracts teams from across the local area to compete for Cup and Plate trophies created in honour of two past members:

• The Derek Nichols Memorial Trophy

• The Roger Barnes Shield

This festival is also our main fundraising event, enabling us to make charitable donations to local causes such as Abingdon Bridge, as well as Macmillan Cancer Support, whose annual walking football event in Maidenhead we have proudly competed in for several years.

We are proud to continue providing opportunities to participate in walking football for players across the widest possible range of skill and fitness levels. If this article has sparked your interest and you would like further information, please visit our club website.