The Didim Walking Football Club (DWFC) is set to take on its biggest match this week thanks to the unstinting support of Didim’s Sports Directorate.
The club, co-founded by James Ash, Mark Williams and John Croft, has been given special permission to play a unique game on Thursday August 8 (9am KO) on a full-size UEFA standard 4G pitch in the town, which is located behind the main town’s stadium.
Support for this special event has come from Hakan Gursoy, an ex-Didim Masters football club teammate of James and owner of Family Door Restaurant. Didim District Sports Director Ufuk Hoca has also supported the initiative. Spectators are welcome to watch the special game.
They have helped book the facility and waived the cost as a sign of support and appreciation for what DWFC brings to the community. This will be a departure from their usual smaller-sized games played with smaller teams on smaller pitches they enjoy every Monday.
Increasing numbers
Nearly two and a half years ago, friends Mark, John and James sat down to hatch a plan to start one of Turkey’s very first walking football clubs.
Today, the Didim Walking Football Club (DWFC) celebrates more than 250 players who have joined since that initial day and has become the biggest Walking Football in the country, reaching more than one million people around the world on social media!
James said: “At our very first session, we had two teams of five players wearing mismatched kits. Now, we have our own branded shirts that most attendees purchase and proudly wear in our group team photos at the start of every session.”
The club’s Monday morning sessions, starting at 9 am, attracts 35 to 40 players weekly during the summer season, with a steady 20 to 25 players participating during the autumn, winter, and early spring months.
The club even had the honor of hosting ex-Premier League referee and VAR official Mike Dean, who put on his playing boots for the first time in over four years. DWFC has also received support from various ex-top-flight players who have sent video messages to the team.
James added: “The latest initiative to play on a full-size UEFA standard 4G pitch is another step in the right direction for the club that aims to touch all corners of the community.”
DWFC continues to welcome new players to their Monday sessions and encourages people to contact them via their Facebook page, ‘Didim Walking Football Club.’
Unlike 99% of the world’s walking football clubs, DWFC proudly allows people of all ages, abilities, and disabilities, with both male and female players enjoying the beautiful game together.