The success of the Walking Football Scotland side at the UEFA-organised Euro Cup in Nyon over in Switzerland on Thursday did nothing to lift the spirits of the Tartan Army in the wake of the national team’s crushing World Cup defeat to Brazil the night before.
Indeed, their impressive exploits in the international tournament – they beat Greece, Czechia and Croatia and topped their group before being edged out by Italy in the semi-final – barely registered back in their homeland.
Yet, for Matt Ramsay, the Glasgow Life football participation officer and Walking Football Scotland charity board member who managed the nine-strong squad at the event on the banks of Lake Geneva, their involvement was still of huge importance for the country.
Walking football - the slower, non-contact version of the beautiful game which is played by the older members of the population – may be derided by some.
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Ramsay, though, has seen first hand how it has the power to completely transform lives during the eight years he has been involved.
He believes that participating in the Euro Cup for the first time was an important milestone for a sport that is becoming increasingly popular in Scotland.
“There's probably still a bit of stigma about walking football,” he said. “People think it is for old folk who can't really move. It's certainly not that. A lot of people who play it are really, really fit. It is really just a modified format of the game.
“But it can be completely life-changing. That's the biggest thing about it. It's not just a game of football. You see people getting fitter and healthier. That has a knock-on effect on the NHS. Men and women aren’t going to see their doctors any more, they’re reducing or stopping their medication.
“There is the social aspect, the mental health aspect, as well. For some people, doing walking football is the only chance they have to get out and speak to people during the week.
“We’ve seen people who have been very lonely, who have maybe lost a loved one or their partner, come to play it and flourish. The walking football community has really got around them and supported them.
“Before long, they’re not just doing walking football, they’re going out and doing other social activities. There are lots of walking football groups across the country who will go and play golf, who will have a Christmas night out. That wouldn't have happened if they hadn’t got into walking football.”
Ramsay was grateful for the financial support which Walking Football Scotland received from the SFA as well as the Summer of Sport - a Scottish government initiative which is being delivered in conjunction with sportscotland – ahead of the EURO Cup.
However, the lack of backing which the sport has received from Holyrood has frustrated and, given the huge mental and physical health benefits which participation in it can bring, surprised him.
“Getting funding has always been a struggle,” he said. “We've recently been given a bit of support by the SFA, who we are affiliated to along with Scottish Para-Football.
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“But we don’t get the financial support from the Scottish government that we think we should receive something considering the impact that people getting healthier and fitter can have on the NHS.
“We had one lady with us in Switzerland who has got Parkinson's disease. She attends other Parkinson's sessions that we have delivered across the country along with Parkinson's UK.
“But the health benefits of walking football also supports her condition. Staying physically and mentally active means doctors can maybe reduce her medication. Unfortunately, we don't get that financial support.
“We tried to get funding from Holyrood a number of years ago and got quite far down the road with it. Then all of a sudden we got told, ‘No, there's no funding available, not now, not ever’. It was a frustrating one.
“I believe that their attitude is they give money to the SFA so it's up to them to share that out how they see fit. But we don’t feel it is football-related, we feel it is health-related. It is very much preventative health.
“We are certainly grateful for the support we get from the SFA. Long may it continue. We were given a bit of extra help from the Summer of Sport too. But we do feel that we have a lot to offer and more could be done for us.
“It would be great if somebody who needs to be more physically active and goes to see their GP gets told, ‘Have you tried walking football?’ Or says, ‘Are you interested in football? Where's your local walking football centre? Get yourself along there, get active, it will improve your physical and mental health’.”
Ramsay added, “Walking football is open to women over 40 and men over 50. There are around 5,000 people who play across the country. Within our competitive leagues, we have men over 50, 60, 65 and 70. This year we introduced an over-75s league for the first time.
“The women have over-40 and over-50 leagues, but I would envisage there will be the numbers to have an over-60s league as well next years. I am sure it will just keep growing.
“But we know we're only just scratching the surface at the moment when it comes to the number of people playing, even though we're at the 5,000 mark. We know it could be massive if we got more funding. There are still people out there who don't know what walking football is.
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“As soon as they come once, they keep coming back. When I first suggested coming to walking football to my father-in-law he said, ‘I'm still playing fives! I've no interest in that!’ But he came along to a couple of sessions, got used to it and said, ‘I'm playing with my peers now and I'm enjoying my game more’.
“There's a couple of rule tweaks to make it safer. It's non-contact, it's three-touch, there are no headers. It’s slower so it’s more inclusive. We want somebody who comes in, a woman at 40, a man at 50, to know they're going to be safe and able to play the game for potentially the next 30 or 40 years.
“We've got people who are in their 80s and are still playing. I've got a gentleman that comes along to one of my own sessions who's just turned 90 and has got dementia. When you give him a ball at his feet, it's as if the dementia has gone. It's crazy.”
Ramsay was delighted when Scotland were selected to take part in the second EURO Cup by UEFA earlier this year and invited Walking Football Scotland regional managers to put forward players in the over-60 age group who they thought would be good ambassadors.
Billy Bentley of Townhead Strollers, Derek Beveridge of Alloa Athletic, Alan Bolsworth of Drumchapel United, Paul Burns of Hearts, Ewan Duffy or Oriam, Cindy Halliday of Saints Kirkcudbright, Kath Kimmet of Giffnock SC, Joan Masterton of Jeanfield Swifts and Vivian Wallace of Midlothian Ladies were called up.
They faced stiff opposition, Savvas Kofidis, the 67-times capped former Greek international midfielder, represented his national team. But they did their country proud.
“We played six-a-side games and needed to have two women players on the pitch at all times,” said Ramsay. “We beat Greece, we beat Czechia, we beat Croatia and we topped the group. We went into the semi-finals and sadly lost 2-1 to Italy. Croatia, who we beat 1-0 in our section, went on and beat Italy on penalties in the final.
“Seeing our own team come together from all over the place and bond was absolutely tremendous. It was such a unique experience. It's unlikely that they'll ever play together again.
“The camaraderie and the spirit from all teams mixing together and enjoying each other's company was tremendous too. We had good conversations with the other countries and are going to start to properly look at the international set up and how teams can be formed moving forward.”
The players who take part in walking football might not be allowed to break into a sprint, but the momentum which the game in this country has built up in recent years has been considerable and nothing is, even without Scottish government funding, likely to halt it
Anyone interested in playing walking football can find a session near them at www.walkingfootballscotland.org
