"A brilliant league with a great atmosphere!" The inaugural Over 45 Gloucestershire FA league draws to a close.

Sep 24

3 min read

September saw the final round of fixtures played in the new Over 45 Gloucestershire FA Women's Walking Football League. Penydarren maintained the excellent form and slick passing they had shown from the very outset, emerging as undisputed champions.Their captain Leanne Williams had this to say about the league:

'Penydarren had a fantastic experience playing in this year’s Over 45s Gloucester League. The teams were friendly, welcoming and great fun to play against, making the whole experience really enjoyable. The facilities were excellent, and the support staff were friendly, helpful and professional throughout. A brilliant league with a great atmosphere — we thoroughly enjoyed being part of it! And would encourage everyone to give it a try.’

In the final fixtures, second place was all to play for. Starting the day in third position, Bristol Badgers went on to claim the runners up spot, ahead of Chippenham and Quedgeley, with after several impressive performances. Badgers coach, Tracey Langford, was full of praise for the team and their opponents:

'A big thank you to all the teams involved, the league was played in such great spirit with so much great football and talent on show. A massive congratulations to all our amazing Badger squad who have represented the club so proudly throughout the league campaign.

Congratulations to the league winners Penydarren Walking Football Club - what a great and lovely team.'

Mel Edwards, captain of Chippenham, also spoke highly of the new league and the manner in which the games were played:

'Chippenham Ladies were so honoured to be able to participate in the Gloucester League O45’s this season and we enjoyed every moment! Every session was played with fun and football at the forefront, retaining the glorious camaraderie that we all love. Sadly more and more leagues and competitions are missing this but Gloucester did not disappoint. There is still a competitive edge but it really is the taking part that counts, with an inclusive and welcoming feel from organisers and players alike. A wonderful way to spend a Sunday. The decision to split the age groups shows just how much momentum Walking Football is gaining and how much the sport is growing. We look forward to even more teams taking part in the future. Come and join the fun and get involved! Our thanks go to Gloucester FA for organising such a fantastic league and congratulations to Penydarren for winning it this year.'

The league currently has two divisions, with the women's Over 35s being played at the same time at the GFA venue in Almondsbury. Though only four teams took part this year, the FA are hoping that interest for the 45 plus division will grow as more women look to take part in competitive walking football.

'We were really happy to launch our new Over 45+ division of our Women's Walking Football League this season,' said Skye Smith of the Gloucestershire FA. 'It's great to expand the competition and engage potential new players to the league through that offer. We'll be continuing to run the 45+ division next season and hope to grow with more teams. We're looking to run from April-August 2027, please look out for information if interested!'

Congratulations Penydarren and Badgers. Well done to all the teams for playing the game in the true spirit of walking football.

Hopefully, after a successful first season, the league for Over 45s women will gain even more interest next year. It would be fantastic, if one day soon, the popularity of the sport meant that more 50+, 60+ and 70+ leagues for women were also created.

Women's walking football teams looking to take part next season should click on the Gloucestershire FA badge for contact info and latest news.