Project to recreate matchday banter for older football fans from Northampton Town Community Trust

Older football fans are being brought together by the Northampton Town FC Community Trust to recreate as much of the much-missed matchday experience as possible.

Sporting Memories will allow fans over 55 to chat about the latest match and reminisce about the past at Cobblers and any other Northamptonshire sports teams and grounds over Zoom.

Once the coronavirus lockdown ends, the trust wants to invite supporters for a tour of one of the main stadiums in the county as part of its 'walk and talk' scheme.

Bob Allen, from the trust, said: "The idea is when we used to be able to go to football matches, the good old days, it was about more than just the game.

"It's the pre-match banter and the post-match chat about how good or bad the game went with your friends.

"Everyone we have spoken to has missed that bit of the game - going to the clubhouse or a cafe and just having a chat.

"So the idea of Sporting Memories is to bring that back as much as we can."

Sporting Memories is the latest project from Northampton Town FC Community Trust to reduce loneliness and fill the void that fan-less football has left in so many supporters' lives.

Throughout the pandemic, the charity, Cobblers players and staff have been talking to isolated fans over the phone as well as organising surprise visits with the League Two play-off trophy.

Bob said: "Whenever I give someone a call, we always talk about the game and what we thought about it and what should happen with this and that.

"So if we could get a group of them together to talk among themselves after every game then that would be great."

The community trust hopes to arrange two Zoom calls a week with up to 10 people on each for them to discuss the latest game and chat all things football.

Assistance is available for anyone who needs help accessing the online sessions from the charity.

'Walk and talk' would see groups of six have a short tour of Sixfields, the County Ground or any other ground before talking together about their memories, once the Covid-19 rules are relaxed.

For more information, call Bob on 07915 315516 or email [email protected].