Many walking football groups on Merseyside provide a platform for those who want to keep playing as they get older.
But for some its also a great opportunity to be welcomed in to the world of football, like 58-year-old Tina Janvier from Scarisbrick.
Tina’s fears that she may have felt like an outsider in the group were put to rest when she started.
She said: “The guys where really accepting, you know I don’t feel like a female in a male environment I just feel like a team player.”
Tina joined Southport’s walking football group in July after being inspired by the Lionesses’ heroics over the summer when they retained their Women’s Euros title in Switzerland.
Southport have two competitive walking football teams that compete in the over 60s and over 70s league respectively.
Tina praised the sessions for how fun and enjoyable they are, as it is becoming a highlight of her week.
She said: “I woke up this morning with a smile on my face ready to go, I think if you can find something that does that to you it’s just wonderful!”
They run three sessions a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays where they aim to provide a platform for fitness as well as a social atmosphere.
Tina joined the group and plays on a Monday, which has a stricter ruling in the matches which sees zero contact or running allowing for a more comfortable pace for beginners.
She said: “I really wish I’d done it more when I was younger, but I didn’t have the confidence to get into a team and its one of the things I regret in a way because id love to have done it.”
“You know you always dream that you’d be on the big stage or even if I was in a little five a side walking football, it doesn’t matter. I thoroughly enjoy it for your mental and physical health. I think its fantastic”.
Despite initial trepidation Tina started to not only turn up but impress herself and those around her with even the referee questioning her on if she was lying when having said she’d never played before.
Tina added: “There was a couple players short on one team on that particular day so I was thrown in the deep end.
“But the guys were so generous and accepting. It was really easy to start playing and then I surprised myself because I thought ‘ooh I quite enjoy this’ and move forward with it.”
