PHOENIX Force Cirencester took an Over 65 Walking Football team to the Kingsmaid Tournament at the Etihad complex in Manchester on Monday and put up an honourable display, writes Peter Mitchell.

Among the established Northern teams were Wigan Walkers, Manchester City and Grimsby Ancient Mariners, while Phoenix Force were the only team from south of the River Trent.

However, they dismissed any possible accusations of being "Southern Softies" when they reached the quarter finals in one competition and the semi-finals in a second.

Finding themselves 2-0 down in the first game against Burton Albion they fought back well to finish 3-2 winners. Unfortunately six games in quick succession and humid conditions eventually took their toll but overall they gave a very respectable performance.

Phoenix Force managed nine goals in all, with 73-year-old Charlie Wise and his sweet left foot scoring seven of them; Robbie Williams got the other two.

Mention must also be made of the Standard's speedway correspondent Phil Rice who contributed the piece de resistance by performing a splendid nut meg in one of the games!

A highlight of their trip was meeting former Swindon Town and Manchester City star Mike Summerbee who presented the prizes.

Mike and former City goalkeeper Alex Williams now act as ambassadors for Manchester City Football Club but of course Summerbee hailed from Cheltenham and subsequently made his Swindon Town debut at the tender age of 16.

Looking very youthful for his 75 years, he seemed delighted to reminisce about his roots and his early days at the County Ground. He was one of Bert Head's "Babes" and helped the Town win promotion to Division Two in 1962/63, making almost 250 appearances for the club before moving on to City.

He remembers that before the start of the 1960/61 season Bert Head arranged a trial match between the experienced players – The Probables – against the young teenage "upstarts" – The Possibles.

The Possibles won so convincingly that he was persuaded to start the season proper with a team containing at least six teenagers.

More than 50 years on Mike recalled how, in the close seasons, when they were not paid by the football club, he and Ernie Hunt would work for the Swindon Borough Council cutting grass and also acting as grave-diggers at Radnor Street Cemetery.

When asked about Ernie it was sad to learn that he is in very poor health. Older Town fans will all recall with enormous pleasure "Buzzer's" dashes down the right wing and his pinpoint crosses coupled with the brilliant midfield displays of his mate Ernie.

Summerbee could not be persuaded to come on as a substitute for the Cirencester team, saying that even Walking Football was probably beyond him nowadays.