Bury Relics Over 60 Whites went into their second set of fixtures of their 2026 Greater Manchester Division 2 Walking Football league campaign with a squad of 8 available; Eddy (GK), Keith S, Kev A, Danny, Kev B, Tony, Ian McKinnon and Mike. Keiran was Manager.
Game 1 v Rochdale Striders, won 1 – 0. We played well with good pressure from the Whites which led to a mistake in front of goal which Mike capitalised on scoring a great well placed shot. Whites then kept the pressure up to get a well deserved win.
Game 2 v Corinthians, won 1 – 0. A very physical game with lots of barging and running by the opposition but this went against them as they gave away a free kick in a dangerous position, Mike positioned himself to receive the ball from Kev B but Kev noticed that Ian had taken up a great position in front of goal and was surreptitiously pointing to where he wanted the ball, Kev put on his best acting hat and sold the defence the belief that he was going to pass to Mike but then side-footed it to Ian who hammered it home like a nail in the coffin of an estranged relative who’d left him nothing in his will …. Superb goal…. Now I know there was a penalty or two and I think one of them was in this match but we decided we didn’t really need it. Corinthians huffed and puffed and puffed and huffed… but we blew them over.
Game 3 v Panthers, drew 0 – 0. Kev B had our best opportunity with a clear run on goal with just one defender to beat and Keith went past him into a good position so he opted to pass to him but misplaced the pass so Keith struggled to control it and the opportunity went. They had a goal disallowed because the striker’s toe-nail was in the area… we got off lightly…. we were a bit all over the show and glad to get a draw.
Game 4 v Rochdale Striders, lost 2 – 0. Rochdale A-Team brought out the big guns and Hannibal and Mr T proved too powerful for the Whites scoring two well taken goals from the back of a converted van that had been heavily modified with armour-plating and flame-thrower …. they even shot Tony G and he fell to the ground in a heap moaning in agony at potential broken ribs ( or he may have just slipped whilst being nudged but I swear I heard a shot)…strangely the referee chose to not abandon the game and Whites had to accept defeat.
Game 5 v Moston Brook, drew 0 – 0. A true game of walking football, Kieran and sub Kev B both thought it was a short game compared to the others but it just passed quickly due to high quality walking football on show rather than the usual bastardised 5 a side. Matt ,the referee, said afterwards that is what walking football should be like and it was an absolute pleasure to be in charge of the match.
A good day at the office for the Whites, 4 clean sheets and 8 points, lifted them to fifth place in the league and only 2 points off the promotion places. Every player made a positive contribution to some excellent team work.
Chairman Keiran commented “Great commitment and performances today from all involved and results reflect that.” 🙌👍⚽UTR
Bury Relics Over 60 Stripes went into their second set of fixtures of their 2026 Greater Manchester Division 2 Walking Football league campaign with a squad of 8 available; Keith (GK), Steve M, Ken Bo, Mark T, Steve H, Neville, Iain and Andy. Ken was Manager.
Game 1 v North Manchester, won 1 – 0, Stripes dominated the game from start to finish, too many shots to even count, Steve M alone had 8. His goal was well taken, clean through with just the keeper to beat, he feigned a shot and casually pushed the ball into the corner of the net. North Manchester did not have a single shot
Game 2 v Preston, drew 0 – 0, the result did not match the play, Preston’s keeper had the game of his life including 3 outstanding saves, a shot from Iain looked certain to go in but ricocheted from post to post, when called upon the defence marshalled the dangerous Preston forwards efficiently restricting them to just 2 shots both wide of goal
Game 3 v Wakefield, drew 0 – 0 against a strong team, Stripes although on the back foot for some of the game stayed controlled and Keith was there to make saves when needed. A quick break late in the game after some good defending saw KenBo’s shot well saved by the keeper.
Game 4 v Rochdale Striders, won 1 – 0. A surprisingly slow start from the Stripes and some clever defending was needed to prevent Rochdale scoring an early goal. Stripes recovered to play some controlled football with one or two breaks but failed to score. Late on Rochdale produced their 4th foul and Andy easily converted the penalty.
A good day at the office for the Stripes, 4 clean sheets, 8 points that could easily have been 10, lifted them to fourth place in the league and only out of the promotion places on goal difference. Every player made a positive contribution to some excellent team work.Chairman Keiran commented “Great commitment and performances today from all involved and results reflect that.” 🙌👍⚽UTR
The previous and opening round of fixtures in the Over‑75s Division 1 served up a familiar story: tight margins, stubborn defences, and goals rarer than a Kev pass that isn’t hit with panache. Across the games that day, only two matches produced winners, with Ribble Valley’s 2–1 victory over Blackpool and Bury Relic’s superb win over Ribble, winning 2.0. Everything else finished in a stalemate.
That meant, with every side dropping points and no early runaway leaders, the division already looks like it will be a hard-fought and close grind. That said, the Relics have planted their flag early on by being organised, resilient, and very much still the team to beat. In other words, as Ace reporter Nev put it, The Boys Are Back In Town.
Can the Relics carry on today, with football tastier than Whisky in a Jar, or will they develop a Bad Reputation? If Thin Lizzy taught us anything, it’s that comebacks can be electric, and the Relics already look like they’re ready to crank up the volume this season. Let’s see what happened….
Bury Relics 75s vs. Ribble Valley Invincibles 75s To see the highlights of this match, click-here. To see the full game, click-here. Result Bury Relics 75s 0 – 0 Ribble Valley Invincibles 75s
Blackpool Senior Seasiders 75s vs. Bury Relics 75s To see the highlights of this match, click-here. To see the full game, click-here. Result Blackpool Senior Seasiders 75s 0 – 0 Bury Relics 75s
Tameside Striders 75s vs. Bury Relics 75s To see the highlights of this match, click-here. To see the full game, click-here. Result Tameside Striders 75s 0 – 0 Bury Relics 75s
Bury Relics 75s vs. Rochdale AFC Strollers 75s To see the highlights of this match, including Kev’s super strike, click-here. To see the full game, click-here. Result Bury Relics 75s 1 – 0 Rochdale AFC Strollers 75s
It was another tight, low‑scoring day in the Over‑75s Division 1, but Bury Relics once again showed why they’re the big-boys benchmark. A disciplined 0–0 against Ribble Valley, another controlled 0–0 versus Blackpool, a lucky escape against Tameside, culminating in a well‑earned 1–0 win over Rochdale, rounded off a session that kept their unbeaten record intact.
Across the division, goals were scarce and it was fine-margins as usual. Blackpool picked up two wins, as did Tameside, and Ribble Valley edged a single victory of their own. But with those wins, there were losses too. Rochdale endured the toughest day, failing to score in any of their matches. However, Bury remain the only unbeaten side on the day and for the season so far, which is great for us and testament to their excellent football.
Squad for the day: Eddy (GK) (C), Dave M, Kevin L, Joe C, Bill H, Keiren T, Graham W and Pat F. Manager and staff: Ian M and Keith S.
Supporters included Nev, Steve and partner. Report and videos Dr. John.
On a bitterly cold April 1st whilst many people were sat at home trying to work out which of their newspapers hilarious articles were in fact ‘April Fools’ or miserably failing to open an app that said ‘Best April Fool Ever’ not realising that it wouldn’t open as that was the joke itself, the Relics over 70’s were at Heywood Sports Centre for the 2nd round of matches in defence of their title.
The GMWFL organisers spared us their usual pre match talk on the latest penalty rules and instead announced that each team manager should select his man of the match to receive an Easter Egg, Schev’s eyes lit up, did this announcement inspire him to lead his defence to four clean sheets thus earning him Manager Ken’s accolade? We will never know, however we are all aware of Schev’s fondness for all things confectionary
Schev after receiving his man of the match reward, dressed as ever for the occasion, hat, scarf, tracky top and leggings, he did remove his gloves for the 1st time to help get to the chocolate
Manager: KenBug: Squad: Eddy (GK) Graham W (C), Pete Schev, Tex, GerryL, Al, Bob,, PeteT
First Game against Winstanley Walkers, Sub PeteT
Relics: 4 shots with 2 on target. Winstanley: 4 shots with 2 on target. Final Score 0 – 0
There was some good early possession from the opposition that led to very little due to some sound defending and an excellent interception from Schev, as the game progressed the Relics became more dominant, a good passing move resulted in a shot just wide from Al followed by a narrow miss from Graham, against the run of play a quick break from Winstanley produced a shot that was well saved with his feet by Eddie. Gerry was dominant in midfield and was ably assisted by Al covering lots of ground, a shot from Al was well saved followed by a shot on target by Gerry, the Relics held the ball well but couldn’t quite create another opportunity on goal. With Tex and Schev solid at the back, opposition chances were limited. Final score 0 – 0 Relics unlucky not to get all 3 points.
Second Game Tameside Striders. Sub Schev
Relics: 8 shots 2 on target. Tameside 4 shots 1 on target Final Score 0 – 0
There was a quick start from Tameside but the Relics soon took control, an excellent ball from Graham resulted in a shot from Gerry being well blocked by a defender, Graham then turned well to shoot side and another turn and shot was well saved by the keeper. On a rare excursion forward Tameside were awarded a controversial free kick that resulted in a shot blocked by Tex and their only shot on target well covered by Eddie. Bury continued to dominate with a shot from Gerry that hit the bar and Tex was unlucky to slip when lining up a shot. There was a moment of farce when a free kick awarded to Bury had to be taken 3 times due to encroachment from Tameside who foolishly argued with the ref contesting his decision. A brilliant 4 man passing move started by Pete finally found Graham at the edge of the box, he hit a strong shot that unfortunately went over the bar over the fencing and out of the ground, there are rumours that the NASA moon launch later that day was delayed due to satellite pictures of Graham’s shot being on the same trajectory the NASA flightpath was meant to take, Graham’s excuse was a ‘bump’ on the finely laid artificial surface. Final score 0 – 0 The Relics deserved all 3 points after a dominant display
Third Game Moston Brook. Sub PeteT
Relics: 7 shots 5 on target. Moston: 8 shots with 6 on target. Final Score 0 – 0
What a game, classic end to end football with both sides contributing to an excellent exhibition of over 70’s walking football. There was too much action to list individual moves, Bury produced shots on target from Schev, Gerry, Graham and Al, at the other end Moston had 6 shots on target 3 of which produced good saves from the ever reliable Eddie. One move from Bury worth commenting on saw a superb ball from Al cutting through the defence to leave Graham free on goal, Graham strolled confidently forward feigned a left foot shot dummied the keeper and slipped a shot into the bottom corner, that’s what usually happens, unfortunately on this occasion that very same bump that foiled Graham in the previous game had mysteriously moved 3 yards to the left causing him to meekly hit his shot wide. Final score 0 – 0 a fair result from an excellent game well played by all players from both sides
Fourth Game Salcom.
Relics: 8 shots 5 on target. Salcom : 3 shots 2 on target. Final Score 2 – 0
A blistering high octane start from the Relics, before Salcom could find their feet Pete released Gerry on the right and his excellent shot raced into the back of the net goal. The Relics dominated midfield and on Salcom’s rare breaks forward Schev and Pete dealt with any threat efficiently. Yet another brilliant passing move involving 4 outfield players released Graham on the edge of the box, this time without a bump in sight Graham casually slotted the ball home to the keeper’s right, goal normal service had resumed. There were further shots from Al who was unlucky to see his shot hit the post and from Graham, Pete and Gerry.Final score 2 – 0, superb performance and a deserved 3 points
A good day’s work from the Relics, 4 clean sheets and 6 well earned points, on another day it could have been 10. Summary from Chairman Keiran “Well done to all concerned, some great performances”
Supporters and officials on the day, Keiran, Pat, KenB. KeithH and AndyR. Report by NevK
Bury Relics Over 65’s went into their first set of fixtures of the Greater Manchester Division 1 Walking Football 2026 league campaign with a squad of 8: Eddy (GK), Kev Amos, Keith Swain, Alan, Dave Luk, Tony G, Kev Bates and Andy. Ken Bug was Manager and supporters in attendance were Keiran, Nev and Kenbo on a glorious spring day.
First up were Winstanley with Kev B and Keith starting on the bench. This was a very evenly contested game with chances at a minimum. Winstanley had the first (and their only) chance when a strong shot was saved by Eddy’s legs. We quickly replied when Kev A sent Andy through on the half way line, he expertly kept himself in front of the centre half and dummied the goalie onto the floor, unfortunately his chip shot wasn’t quite high enough and the keeper clawed it down into his midriff. 2 very strong defensive units then dominated until just before the end when Andy slipped Dave in who narrowly put it past the post. A deserved 0-0 draw for both teams.
Next up were Burnley with Kev A and Andy starting on the bench. This was a far more open game with both teams having 4 good chances each. All the Clarets efforts came from their wee striker, memorably named Sonny as by this time the sun was so strong that their keeper had donned his flat cap. He had one hell of a shot on him and Eddy had the game of his life keeping him out and his hands were stinging by the end. We had 4 well created opportunities. Firstly, a passing sequence involving the whole team with Tony laying it off to Dave who came off the right wing to curl it low and hard into the far corner but the keeper made an excellent low diving save to put it round the post. Secondly, Keith set up Dave who blasted it goalwards but the goalie got his body behind it. Thirdly, Keith threaded the ball across to Kev B who was one on one with the keeper, he went for the quick low toe bunger but the keeper deflected it out for a corner with his foot. Lastly, Kev B had another good shot that the keeper turned round for a corner. An excellent, entertaining 0-0 draw.
Our third game of the season was against Blackpool with Kev B and Tony on the bench. Both teams were as poor as each other with wayward passing, miscontrol and weak shots. We only had 2 shots, both off target from Alan, and the game was so low in intensity that it was more interesting watching Kenbo stood with his hands in his pockets and his eyes glazing over than the match. The game was perfectly summed up by one incident near the end. Dave was barged in the back on the halfway line, the whistle blew, and the Relics moved forward. After a quick VAR check, Visually Abysmal Refereeing, the players realised that the foul had actually been awarded to the Tangerines. Their striker, who hadn’t been bothered to track back, was left all alone in oceans of space in our half but in the rush to set him up quickly the free kick was booted far too hard past his outstretched leg and went out of play for a goal kick! A 0-0 bore draw.
Following that showing Game 4 looked challenging against reigning champions Wakefield with Andy and Alan on the bench. However, we came out strongly and matched them for possession and shots with Eddy making some good saves. We had got past the midway point and they were just starting to get frustrated when a lovely intricate move set up a free shot from the edge of the D, it was struck beautifully and whizzed past Eddy who didn’t see it until it bounced out from the stanchion. There had been a battle royale going on between the Two Tony’s with our own Tony G keeping Tony B quieter than usual but some brilliant footwork on the line of the D by Tony B gave him the chance to get a quickfire shot off which Eddy got a hand to but some side spin just took it over the line. It was heartbreaking to lose 2 goals in quick succession after so much good work beforehand but the players did not let their heads drop and the kept fighting on. Just before the final whistle Tony strode forward and slipped it out to Keith who hammered it against the inside of the post and it shot across the face of the goal but never crossed the line. A hard fought 2-0 loss.
Our fifth and final game was against Corinthians with Dave and Kev B on the bench. Two tired teams cancelled each other out. The deadlock was broken when they intercepted a pass in our half and the player struck a crosshot which went in off the post. We nearly equalised late on with an Andy shot but the keeper pulled off a good save. An unlucky 1-0 loss.
A slow start which was similar to most of the other teams. We were competitive in all the games with our only deserved defeat to Wakefield who won 4 and drew 1 on the day so we are in the mix.
OVER 60’s FIRST LEAGUE GAMES THURSDAY 12th MARCH HEYWOOD
WHITES ( playing in blue)
EDDY FORD KEITH SWAIN TONY GREENALL KEVIN AMOS IAN McCANN (Not available) IAN McKINNON MIKE BARTRAM DANNY MITTON
Temporary manager Kevin Bates
Substitute Kevin Amos
First game up of the season against North Manchester,newcomers to the league .
Bury played some excellent football in this game and dominated throughout with some good penetrating passing and good off the ball movement but as is the case in a lot of football here at Heywood you can’t relax for a moment, unfortunately the man-marking that had served them well for a long part of the game disappeared in an instant leaving an opposition player unmarked at the back post ( I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve written this previously but it’s getting to the point where it’ll come up in predictive text as an option). A clinical pass and a well placed shot gave Eddy no chance.
Heads only went down temporarily and Bury were back at it , Northern Manchester only had six shots in the game with two on target whereas Bury had eleven shots with five on target.
Mike ,Tony and Ian McKinnon all had shots most of them falling to Ian with five shots, three of which on target ,some absolute zingers coming from his left boot that certainly tested the keeper but the breakthrough came after a neat piece of footwork from Mike who received the ball in a great area just right of centre of the nets and he slotted it in, the keeper did make contact but fumbled it which was unfortunate for him but great for Bury, to be fair their keeper had kept them in it up till that point as Bury could have had three or four but for his efforts.
Bury continued to dominate but just couldn’t get the winner but a point is a point and some very entertaining football. Final result Bury 1 North Manchester 1
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Second game up against Bury Stripes
Substitute Keith Swain
The much anticipated “ derby” match.
The crowd grew noticeably larger at the side of the pitch and the Police kept a watchful eye as fans for both teams mingled together , pre-match entertainment was cancelled as Ian Dawson forgot to bring his guitar , the dancing troupe also cancelled at the last moment citing safety concerns .
Whites immediately tried to use psychology to undermine the Stripes by choosing to wear blue but the Stripes were having none of it and donned bright orange bibs , this may have proved decisive. Bury Whites( blues) were obviously dazzled by their opponents attire not to mention their silky foot skills… a very cagey affair ensued …it reminded me of an episode of Father Ted with Dougal trying to outwit his “ counterpart “ during an over 70’s priest’s football match .
Who would blink first?
Well as it turns out the Whites ( blues ) blinked first.
This may come as a shock but … they left a man unmarked at the back post … ironically he’s called Mark ( Thomas ) but the clue inherent in his name was completely lost on the befuddled Whites ( blues) … Eddy tried his best but was dazzled by the orange bib of Mark and the crucial goal was well taken.
From this point on both teams pretty much cancelled each other out, not many shots in total… four for Stripes two of which on target… Two for Whites ( blues ) both on target a couple of crackers , one from Dan from distance and one from Mike but both handled comfortably by Keith in goal.
So First Blood to the Stripes
Final score
Bury Whites 0 Bury Stripes 1
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Third game up against Preston
Substitute Danny Mitton
Must admit I was expecting a tough game against Preston as they have some decent players but Bury absolutely dominated this match.
Preston had two shots with one on target saved by Eddy, Bury had nine shots with three on target and some very near misses.
Keith Swain had a great shot saved early on as did Kevin Amos who was pushing up from the back and who also had two other shots off target but Ian McKinnon hit a thunderbolt that rattled off the post and a couple of chances that just wouldn’t go in one of which was a rebound right in front of goal that was just bobbling about too much resulting in a mis-kick that went off target but despite all this Bury kept the pressure up and it was finally rewarded when Ian McKinnon ,with his back to goal on the edge of the area , neatly passed to Mike who had positioned himself just in front of him and who then slotted the ball in past the keeper with a lovely strike.
Bury then closed the game down and Preston didn’t really have any answers.
Final score
Bury 1 Preston 0
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Final game against Wakefield
Substitute Tony Greenall
This was an all hands to the pump type of game for Bury, Wakefield are a class act and know how to keep the ball well the statistics are stark Bury zero shots Wakefield Ten shots… two on target one hit the post.
Eddy made a couple of excellent saves to keep Bury in it but the telling statistics are the number of shots off target… that was due to formidable defensive work from Danny , Kevin, Keith and Ian.
Tracking and blocking tracking and blocking… superb.
Mike as instructed stayed out of defence not straying past the half way mark this occupied their defender and stopped him joining the attack and acting as a pivot point for Wakefield. I noticed a number of times that they were looking to him as an outlet but Mike had dragged him upfield which made it easier to exploit the resulting space once the ball was recovered but unfortunately due to defending so deep players weren’t able to get up to Mike in time to offer support so it was difficult for him to take advantage of the through ball before the opposition tracked back. As a result of this excellent team play Bury were able to hold out against a very strong Wakefield team and gain a very respectable draw.
Final score
Bury 0 Wakefield 0
Some very good entertaining football played today in very windy conditions, all played in good humour with great camaraderie.
The 2026 Greater Manchester Walking Football League (GMWFL) season kicked off for the over 60’s Stripes on 12th March in typical Heywood weather, freezing
The anticipation of the opening fixture for the Relics Stripes against old rivals Corinthians didn’t do much to provide a warm confident glow from the Relics, who knew that Corinthians games were always tough, and this game wasn’t any different. Goalkeeper Keith G was soon getting warmed up by the Corinthian attack but matched everything thrown at him. Relics too had their chances but couldn’t beat the Corinthians keeper. So, Final score a hard played draw 0-0
The Relics Whites also drew their first game 1-1 v North Manchester. Setting up the long awaited derby of Relics Whites v Relics Stripes.
A close encounter with both teams having periods of possession with not many chances. the Stripes took the first advantage with Stripes full back Mark Thomas allowed to move down the left wing by the Whites, his shot beat Eddie at his near post to put the Stripes 1-0 up The Relics Whites struggled to get back into the game and it finished 1-0 to the Stripes. Stripes influential striker Andy Richardson punched the air as the final whistle went shouting a loud “yes” claiming the bragging rights for the Stripes..
It was a short break before the third game on the Relics schedule, v Panthers, but the Relics didn’t seem to let the cold bother them and came sharp. Ken had a breakaway chance that was saved, Mark E had two good chances that were saved. Ken had another chance which was wide, then Mark E had another shot saved. Relics were on top but couldn’t break the deadlock. Final Score 0-0
Next up for the Stripes were Rochdale Strollers, so another tough game and another steady performance from the Stripes restricting Rochdale to a few chances, mainly going high and wide. relics had a good chance after a good passing interchange between Andy Richardson and Steve M but the final shot was saved. final Score 0-0.
Final game for the Stripes was Moston. The Stripes had been solid all day restricting the opposition to only a few chances while playing some good possession throughout. Same again against Moston, a few chances for the Stripes from Mark E, Mark T, Ken, and Andy R, while restricting Moston to just a couple of efforts. Final Score 0-0.
So, an unbeaten day for the Stripes which should fill them full of confidence for the next match day.
Stripes; Keith Gillespie (GK), Mark T, Mark E, Andy Rich, Steve H, Steve M, Ken B, Iain Dawson.
Reigning over 70s champions, Bury Relics, meet a new look division 1 to begin the defence of their title. From a spectators point of view, it was sad that Rochdale no longer prevail in this division, as games between Bury and Rochdale were always entertaining. In addition, the massive rivalry with the competitive Manchester Corinthians was for now, at least, taking a break. In their place were 2 new additions to the league, in the form of teams Salcom and Moston Brook, who join Bury, Tameside and Winstanley to make up the pinnacle division of the over 70s Greater Manchester Walking Football League.
In terms of weather conditions, it was perfect conditions, with bright sunshine, no wind and a comfortable temperature. It’s intriguing why the car park had massive puddles and lots of lumps; almost like Dune Sandworms are living underneath. The opening fixture was against Winstanley and the squad chosen for the day was as follows: Eddy (GK), John M (Jomo, C), Graham W, Gerry L, Pete S, Tex, Ray and Alan. Manager and staff consisted Ken Bug, Pat and Keith S. Spectators in the form of Keith H, Dave M and Dr. John were also in attendance, plus others. Report and videos by Dr. John.
Bury Relics 70’s vs. Winstanley Walkers 70’s To see the highlights and Jomo’s goal, click-here.
To see the full game, click-here. Result, Bury Relics 70’s 1 -0 Winstanley Walkers 70’s
Bury Relics 70’s vs. Tameside Striders Blues 70’s To see the highlights and Tameside’s goal, click-here.
To see the full game, click-here. Result, Bury Relics 70’s 0 -1 Tameside Striders Blues 70’s
Moston Brook FC 70’s vs. Bury Relics 70’s To see the highlights, click-here.
To see the full game, click-here. Result, Moston Brook FC 70’s 0 – 0 Bury Relics 70’s
Bury Relics 70’s vs. Salcom 70’s To see the highlights, click-here.
To see the full game, click-here. Result, Bury Relics 70’s 0 – 0 Salcom 70’s
Bury Relics continued as they left off last season, playing high-quality football. It’s a rarity and a collectors item that they conceded a goal, but as a spectator, I give the credit to the pass and the play of the opponents. The goal scored for Bury against Winstanley was a mixture of alertness, to make a snappy interception, and the shout of the adjacent attacker Jomo, to receive a quick pass from Graham, to produce an assured side-foot finish. Excellent goal. The entire team played well, with Eddy also diving about, making saves. The benefit of having the videos is that you can see the good standard of football being played; with both quick passing and individual dribbling skills creating chances. As can be seen from the league table below, both Moston and Tameside won 2 games, which currently gives them the edge after the opening day of the season. A long way to go, with plenty of time for Bury to climb the table. A reasonable day at the office, with a steady start for Bury Relics.
“Guess who just got back today, them wild eyed boys that had been away”, the opening lyrics to Thin Lizzy’s The Boys are Back in Town, in this case the ‘Boys’ being Bury Relics over 75’s, the town Heywood Sports Village. Yes they really were back as defending champions and started the 2026 season very much as they finished the 2025 campaign on an unbeaten run. The weather was cold and overcast but the mood was buoyant.
Manager: Ian McKinnon Squad: Eddy Ford (GK) (C), Dave Morris, John Bate, Kevin Longbottom, Chris Vickers, Joe Cohen, Bill Horton, Bob Daniels
First Game against Ribble Valley Invincibles, Subs Bob and Chris (Chris on for John)
Relics: 6 shots with 5 on target. Invincibles: 4 shots with 3 on target. Final Score 2 – 0
Bury started the game in total control with all round good movement and accurate passing to feet, unfortunately there was an early substitution as John who has been heavily involved in the game received an injury and as a precaution was replaced by Chris. With Dave marshalling at the back, Bill controlling the left hand side, Chris and Joe dominating the midfield and Kev proving to be a menace upfront the 1st goal was inevitable, as the Invincibles were trying to clear their lines Kev intercepted a pass and strode forward and hit a well placed shot to the keeper’s right, goal. The Relics didn’t have it all their own way but defended well and limited the opposition to long range shots that were easily collected by Eddy. An excellent passing move between Chris and Joe saw Joe hitting the ball wide of the keeper, goal. Final score 2 – 0 win fully deserved.
Second Game Blackpool Senior Seasiders. Subs Dave and John
Relics: 10 shots 4 on target. Blackpool 1 shot on target Final Score 0 – 0
To say that Bury dominated this game would be an understatement, after an unusual sloppy start from the Relics they quickly took full control, the distribution from Eddy in goal was superb, picking out teammates accurately and creating a number of attacking plays, Bob was back and made sure that on the rare occasions that Blackpool managed to break forward they were stopped with his usual efficiency, the opposition were restricted to one shot from distance. Passing moves involving all the Relics resulted in four shots by Kev, one each from Bob, Joe and Bill and three from Chris, one shot Chris seemed to defy all rules of science as it struck the inside of the post but somehow managed to spin back out rather than ending up in the goal. Final score 0 – 0, you can’t win them all
Third Game Tameside Striders. Subs Kev and John
Relics: 2 shots 1 on target. Tameside: 7 shots with 3 on target. Final Score 0 – 0
The break between games seemed to cost the Relics their momentum, the free flowing attacking football of the first two games turned into backs to the wall defending, Dave and Bob both forced into last ditch defending forcing their opponents wide to deny them shooting opportunities. On a rare break forward a good lay off from Joe resulted in Bill’s shot hitting the post. Tameside continued to surge forward with one shot hitting the post, as ever Eddy was reliable in goal making one or two good saves. Final score 0 – 0, Relics grateful for the point
Fourth Game Rochdale Strollers. Subs Joe and John
Relics: 2 shots none on target. Rochdale : 5 shots all on target. Final Score 0 – 0
Trying to avoid a hangover from the previous game the Relics set off on the front foot, Chris holding the ball well with good support from team mates, there was an excellent through ball from Dave to Bill who just couldn’t quite get a shot in. Rochdale then took full command and once again it was backs to the wall defending, there was a break in play as the ball ricocheted into Bill’s face causing a small cut above his eye, manager Ian opted to bring on Joe not wanting to risk further injury to John. There was some good defending but once again Relics were reliant on ‘Steady Eddy’ in goal who pulled off a couple of excellent saves. Final score 0 – 0, again Relics grateful for the point gained
The old football cliche ‘a game of two halves’ could be changed to a ‘session of two halves’, excellent attacking football then turned into at times desperate defending, full marks to the players, unbeaten and four clean sheets, added bonus was great to see Bob back.
Quote of the day from an unnamed Relics player, “f*ckin Kev’s showboating again”, said in good faith I might add. Manager Ian’s summing up “Thanks to all the players today for a great effort. Played good football and defended well when needed”.
Supporters and officials on the day, KethS, Pat, KenB and TonyP. Report by NevK
Not to be outdone by their ‘elders’ of the over 75’s the ‘youngsters’ of the Bury Relics over 70’s became the League Champions of the inaugural GMWFL spring and autumn format
The Relics main sponsor is Tower Family Healthcare, an extract from their website:-
“At Tower Family Healthcare, we are passionate about supporting our local community. That’s why we are proud to sponsor Bury Relics walking football team! We’ve backed the Relics since 2019 and have recently kitted them out with a brand new team strip to make sure they look the part when out on the pitch.
Why we love walking football
Walking football isn’t just a game – it’s a game changer.
It keeps players moving, motivated and connected, and the benefits go far beyond fitness. Walking football can:
Reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
Improve balance, core strength and bone density.
Lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
Boost mental wellbeing, confidence and social connections.
Most importantly, it’s fun! And when exercise is enjoyable, people stick with it.”
They must be delighted with the performance of the Bury Relics Over 70’s
The season’s match day squads included:-
Eddie Ford GK (7 out of 8 appearances)
John Morris Captain (8 out of 8 appearances)
Tex O’Rourke (7 out of 8 appearances)
Gerry Luzcha (7 out of 8 appearances)
Bob Daniels (7 out of 8 appearances)
John Wardle (6 out of 8 appearances}
Ken Buggie (6 out of 8 appearance, including 1 as player manager)
Peter Taylor (5 out of 8 appearances)
Ray Hatton (4 out of 8 appearances)
Graham Walton (3 out of 8 appearances)
Alan Blackley 2 out of 8 appearance, 1 as stand in goalkeeper)
It is a measure of the quality and depth of the squad that two of our players Tex and Graham have represented England
The Relics Chairman Keiran Tilley had this to say “After an outstanding season of top class football our over 70’s have finished the top of division 1 by a clear margin finishing the last day with 4 deserve wins. Let’s keep it going into the next season.” 🙌👍⚽ UTR
Pat Fitzgerald was the manager for most of the sessions and when not available was ably replaced by Keith Swain, Pat’s comment on the season “Fortunate to have players who could play the way I wanted which was always two in defence with a midfield three, all of which were capable of scoring. Notwithstanding a great goalkeeper at the back”
How the season progressed:-
March 2025
Overall, a very mixed day of results which every team suffered. We are equal bottom on 4 points with the unbeaten Tameside but only 2 points behind leaders Winstanley with Rochdale and Corinthians both on 5 points. Literally anything is possible in this league.
Pat commented afterwards “It was a day of improvement. First game disaster, second better, third excellent. The last game was lost by a penalty and the opposition managed the game with some interesting refereeing decisions. Edd again the penalty specialist. Well done everyone.”
Results March:-
Relics 0 – Corinthians 1
Relics 0 – Tameside 0
Relics 2 – Rochdale 0
Relics 0 – Winstanley 1
April 2025
No goals conceded on the day and the 3 points against Tameside helped Bury move up the table into 2nd place, courtesy of goal difference. With Winstanley 4 points clear at the top and the next 3 teams on 10 points, all is to play for in the league. It was notable that refereeing strategy could have changed since there was not one penalty given for or against Bury on the day (for 4 offences), which is not what usually happens in these fixtures. If Bury can score more goals next time out, maybe they can catch Winstanley. In any case, a good day’s football for the Relics.
Results April :-
Relics 0 – Corinthians 0
Relics 2 – Tameside 0
Relics 0 – Rochdale 0
Relics 0 – Winstanley 0
May 2025
A fine beautiful sunny day with a promise of fine beautiful football from a squad boasting both experience and youth with the notable promotion of Graham from his Academy position in the 60’s and 65’s to the Senior division.
Results May :-
Relics 0 – Corinthians 0
Relics 1 – Tameside 1
Relics 1 – Rochdale 0
Relics 1 – Winstanley 0
June 2025
On the final day before the summer break the Relics kept themselves in contention for the over 70’s league title with a clean sheet in all four games and 6 points from the day’s activities. A great display by the Relics
Results June:-
Relics 0 – Corinthians 0
Relics 0 – Tameside 0
Relics 0 – Rochdale 0
Relics 1 – Winstanley 0
September 2025
Bury Relics Over-70s have had a resilient and impressive Spring 2025 campaign in the Greater Manchester Walking Football League, marked by disciplined defending and steady progress. A good day for the Relics, to inject a bit of comedy, “The defence was so generous at times, they’re now being considered for charity status.” And “One shot was so wide, it’s now listed on Airbnb as a weekend getaway.” A mixed bag of results, but plenty of promise in the performances to show Relics are still in with a shout of winning the league. The players and management performed well, and all contributed positively to the 5 points attained today; well done Bury Relics.
Results September:-
Relics 0 – Corinthians 1
Relics 0 – Tameside 0
Relics 1 – Rochdale 0
Relics 0 – Winstanley 0
October 2025
Bury Relics sat in second place in the league table, 7 points behind leaders Manchester Corinthians. Bury Relics had a great day and fully deserved their 10 points reward. In contrast, Corinthians didn’t do as well, with their 4 points on the day. This shot Bury Relics to within a single point of Manchester Corinthians at the top, and reduce the goal difference deficit to just a single goal. This is magnificent for the team, management and fans. It’s stating the obvious that a good day or a bad day for a team can change things drastically at the top, so hopefully the Relics can maintain their good form of today into the last 2 sets of fixtures. If they do that, they have a huge chance of winning the title. Go Bury Relics!!
Results October:-
Relics 1 – Corinthians 0
Relics 1 – Tameside 0
Relics 0 – Rochdale 0
Relics 1 – Winstanley 0
November 2025
Concentration and determination, coupled with quality football, pulled Bury Relics over 70s to the top of their league. After the first game, heads could have dropped but no, fires burned deep inside of players, fans and management, and it was no surprise they produced fireworks and moments of magic to accumulate 7 points from the remaining 3 games. I was thinking of getting the sparklers out in celebration. It showed grit and stamina to over turn the 4 point deficit into a 1 point advantage; congratulations Relics on a fabulous day. Fabulous players, with organization and encouragement from staff, plus a sizable support, all combined to produce a successful day at the office. One set of fixtures to go, and if they do go on to win the league, it will be fully deserved. Go Bury Relics!!
Results November:-
Relics 1 – Corinthians 2
Relics 1 – Tameside 0
Relics 1 – Rochdale 0
Relics 0 – Winstanley 0
December 2025
Bury Relics over 70s squad made history as the first side to win the over 70s league title contested over 12 months (combined spring and autumn sessions). They did it with panache, winning all four of their games on the final day of play. It was a great day for Bury Relics football club, as they won the over 70s league in style. All players and staff, throughout the season deserve credit as this was not easy to do, Bury’s high quality and the determination by all players, staff and fans, for the team to do well. This combination of factors was the catalyst to the league title success. Obviously, everyone was ecstatic. Here is a photo of the happy team and staff.
As ever no competition is complete without worthy opponents, organisers the Greater Manchester Walking Football League all Officials and not forgetting the Referees, thanks go out to all involved.
Bury Relics 