Botcherby man captains England walking football team to victory

Tony Proud, 76, from Botcherby, now lives in London where he is the captain of the 75+ England national walking football team.

Walking football is a more accessible form of mainstream football where players walk instead of run, and generally attracts older people as a result.

It’s a tried and tested form of exercise that promotes physical and emotional well-being, as well as being a legitimate sport for all to enjoy.

Tony led his team to a victory over the Republic of Ireland, tearing them apart 9-0.

On the same day, Carlisle United secured promotion after a dramatic penalty shootout.

This left Tony with mixed emotions – overjoyed from the victory of his squad and Simmo’s, while also devastated to have missed it in person.

He said: “I was choked because I love Carlisle United and I’ve been to every single one of their finals before and whenever they were down this year I went to see them, they’re in my heart.”

The England squad (Image: Bishop Cleeve FC/Facebook)

On the huge win over the Irish team, he said: “It’s quite an honour to play at this level.

“I’d never considered myself that good of a footballer, but walking football has done a lot for me and for other people.”

But the victory was made so much sweeter when he heard about the penalty which failed to make it past Holý.

He said: “It felt fantastic.

“I was playing in Cheltenham at the time and they didn’t have a screen there, so on the way back I put the radio on and I only managed to listen to the last 15 or 20 minutes.

“When they won I just took my hands off the wheel and cheered.”

Despite living in London, Tony still has the border city in his heart: “I just feel so lucky to play football at 76.

“Botcherby was a deprived area when I was a boy, and I loved playing football there, and I would always walk down to Brunton Park as a boy.”