Grimsby Town Corinthians Walking Football Club hosted a memorable weekend of football, friendship and fundraising as they welcomed special visitors from Knattspyrnufélagið Þróttur in Iceland.
The visit celebrated the growing popularity of walking football while bringing together players from different countries through their shared love of the game.
The Icelandic squad had originally planned to arrive in time to watch Grimsby Town face Barrow at Blundell Park, but bad weather unfortunately prevented their planned flight from taking place.
Undeterred by the disruption, the group still made the journey the following day, ensuring they could take part in the weekend’s events and enjoy their time in Grimsby, including a traditional visit for fish and chips.
The main event took place on Sunday at Clee Fields, home of Grimsby Town Corinthians Walking Football Club, where a charity walking football tournament brought together 16 over-60s teams from across the region.
Played in a 7-a-side format between 10am and 3pm, the tournament formed part of fundraising efforts during Prostate Cancer Month, with proceeds supporting Prostate Cancer UK and helping raise awareness for men’s health.
Across a busy day of competition, 112 matches were played during the league stages, meaning each team completed seven fixtures before the knockout rounds began.
The four semi-finalists were Leggy Mambos, Doncaster Dynamos, GAM A and North Ferriby. After two closely contested semi-finals, the final saw Leggy Mambos face GAM A in a tightly fought contest.
With the match finishing level, the outcome was decided by penalties, where Leggy Mambos emerged victorious with a 2-1 shootout win.
The tournament was made possible thanks to the hard work and dedication of volunteers and officials. Special thanks were given to tournament organiser Mike Smith for bringing the event together, as well as the refereeing team of Dave Bent, Mick Hill, Marcus Chamberlain, Chris Akers, Doug Carroll, Phil Jacobs and John Lyon.
Gratitude was also extended to the staff at Clee Fields for providing excellent facilities and catering throughout the day.
After a full day of football, players and supporters gathered at McMenemy’s for an evening celebration featuring food, music and entertainment.
Live vocals from Leearna Williams, alongside a disco and karaoke, ensured a lively atmosphere as guests enjoyed a relaxed social evening together.
The evening also included a raffle and charity auction to raise additional funds for Prostate Cancer UK. A signed Grimsby Town football, kindly donated through the Grimsby Town Foundation, sparked a lively bidding contest before eventually being won by Mick Gibbins, who then generously presented the ball to the visiting Icelandic team.
Despite the challenges caused by travel disruption, the weekend proved to be a huge success, showcasing the spirit of walking football and the strength of community connections both locally and internationally.
Grimsby Town Corinthians Walking Football Club would like to thank everyone involved – players, officials, volunteers and supporters – for helping make the event such a memorable occasion.
UTM