FEATURE: Walking back to happiness with Moulton Masters FC...

Indeed, it has become so successful that it now operates a waiting list to join its daytime sessions.

Founded in 2016 by Phil Andrews, Moulton Masters, which is part of Moulton Football Club whose first team plays in the Spartan South Midlands League, came about at a time when Barclays Bank were running a health campaign.

Andrews went along to a walking football group based in Towcester and was instantly hooked, so he decided to set up one of his own.

It all started in the car park at the Fernie Fields football ground, the home of Northampton Sileby Rangers.

"It really did begin with ‘five men and a dog’," said Andrews.

In the intervening years, and after moving around different venues in the town such as Malcolm Arnold Academy, Danes Camp Leisure Centre and Parklands, they eventually found a permanent home at Moulton.

That came about through connections that another group member, Martin Littlemore, had via a fellow season ticket holder at Northampton Town Football Club.

It was from here that instead of simply hiring a pitch, a formal link-up with Moulton FC at their Brunting Road base came about – with the club now fully affiliated to the Northamptonshire FA (NFA).

At the time of moving to Moulton, the club had about 40 players, and now has 132 on the books, who must all be registered for insurance purposes.

Each session is nearly always full with more than 50 players aged between 50 and 78. The sessions run on Monday nights, Tuesday mornings and Friday mornings.

The club recently won titles in the Northamptonshire County Cup, claiming glory at Redwell Leisure Centre in Wellingborough at the end of November.

Silverware went to the over 50s and over 60s sections as they saw off teams all across the county, and then beat Northampton Town in both finals.

The benefits of physical exercise are well known, and walking football is a gentler version of the game for those with health conditions.

Amongst those who come together at Moulton are people with pacemakers fitted, Parkinson's Disease and dementia. The club takes its members health and wellbeing very seriously, having their very own defibrillator in addition to the one onsite at the football club.

The camaraderie and rapport amongst the members is one of the best aspects of walking football.

"It is more than just the hour playing," said Andy Roberts. "It's the social side, we're here for a laugh. One man hadn't kicked a ball in 50 years!

"It gives some a new lease of life. Everyone here has a role, for some it gives us a purpose… but it can be like herding ants,"

Roberts and Andrews laugh when referring to actually getting everyone onto the pitch instead of chatting and catching up with each other, and the latter continued: "I suffered from depression and PTSD from serving (in the army) in the first Gulf War.

"I then had a serious car crash in 2007, which brought it all back, so it has definitely helped me and others deal with mental health issues too.”

Taking part helps to temporarily put aside what else is going on in lives, with Andrews adding: “As soon as you step over the white line, you revert to being a kid. It is football for all."

There is a social side away from the pitch too, a recent race night raised £1200, split between Moulton FC and a prostate cancer charity, and in September more than £200 was raised for MacMillan Cancer nurses.

Walking football rules differ slightly to those of traditional football; It is mainly six or seven a side. There is no heading allowed and the ball cannot go over head height (deemed as crossbar height). Tackling is banned from behind and the side, and kick-ins replace throw-ins. Shots have to be from outside the goal area as only the goalkeeper is allowed in there.

When I visited I noticed definite grey areas between walking and running! And Littlemore admitted: “It is open to interpretation...”

Plans are afoot to grow the game further in the county, with meetings ongoing with the NFA about forming a league, and with 13 teams representing all the major towns across Northamptonshire, there is certainly potential for this.

The group also boast three walking football internationals amongst their ranks; Dave Poole and Pete Oppenheimer of England, and Mary Sanders of the Republic of Ireland.

Former Scotland international and current Cobblers assistant boss Colin Calderwood has even been known to join in sessions!

Moulton Masters also have an international presence with a sister team in Turkey (Akbuk), and plans for a link-up with a club in Lanzarote as one of the players lives on the Canary Island for six months of the year.

The players have even written a book about their experiences after finding the sport has helped them recover from injuries, illnesses or issues such as bereavement and retirement.

It is called Walking Back To Happiness and is available on Amazon, priced £9.99.

Anyone who wants to find out more details and join the waiting list to join, can get in touch with Phil Andrews on [email protected].