The LTFC walking team beat Colchester in the regional final
The Hatters would like to pass on their congratulations to the LTFC Mens Walking Football team who won the Regional Cup at Venue 360 on Saturday in the EFL Walking Football national competition.
The victory means the team are now through to the finals of the competition, where they will fight it out for the title at Sky Bet Championship club Aston Villa’s training ground – Bodymoor Heath.
It highlights a fantastic year for the side, who have also won the Beds County Cup, Advanced and Intermediary cups and the Cedars Cup. That, added to the fact they were runners-up in the regionals to Bedford in the Peoples Cup, shows just how far the team have come in the two years they have been together.
Player-manager Arthur Mason said: “We have got a really good bunch of guys together now, some really good footballers.
“I am really, really proud of them. To win on Saturday was such a great feeling. The nine guys there played their hearts out and to beat Colchester, who were the holders, was special. It’s been a great experience for us so far.
“We have some ex-footballers come down and a couple of the lads are just there for fitness, it’s a really varied group with people from all walks of life. But it is hard work! The sweat pours off you when you play walking football.
“Starting up from two years ago when none of us knew each other, the achievement of all that has been incredible.”
Victories over Wycombe, Peterborough, Norwich in the group stages secured their place in the quarter-final, where they beat Stevenage. A semi-final win over Barnet saw the Hatters take on Colchester in the final, a game Mason’s team won 3-0.
The manager has been really pleased with the impact that it has had on the men since they have joined, as it has not only helped improve their fitness, but also provided them with the chance to carry on playing the sport.
“Everyone is over the moon with how it’s gone since they have joined, in terms of their fitness and meeting new people,” Mason continued.
“It’s a gateway to continue playing football, a sport they have played all their lives, but haven’t been able to keep up with say, a Sunday league team.
“This walking football gives them the opportunity to carry on doing something they enjoy. A lot of them have got their heart for the game again.”
The following teams will also be at the Birmingham-based training ground to contest the title: Colchester, Blackpool, Blackburn, Notts County, Kidderminster, Sheffield United, Bradford, Gillingham, Dagenham & Redbridge, Plymouth and Cheltenham.