John Cunningham
Age group: Over 50s

What is your footballing history?
I played Saturday amateur and Sunday pub league at a relatively low level. I also played five’s till I was 59. COVID stopped me playing until I was 60.

What was your introduction to walking football?
I played amateur with Willie Carroll and he mentioned walking football.   I said, “That’s for old boys” but he got me in the pub later when I had had a few and I grudgingly said, “OK I will be there next week”.
Loved it immediately.

What were your first impressions of walking football?
It was great to get back to a football environment, the banter was brilliant.

What do you get (if anything) from walking football?
I have made many new friends.  There were 25 guys at our recent Christmas night out and 3 years ago I only knew two of them.

Funniest thing you have seen (or experienced) in walking football?
The funniest bits about the sessions are the one-liners and of course the shooting.

Outside of walking football, do you have interests in any other sport?
I play golf every week, I played squash pre COVID but would be a bit wary about going back to it.

Who are your football/sporting heroes?
Heroes, Kenny Dalglish, Sandy Lyle, and more recently Andries Iniesta is a favourite of mine.