THE South Reading team dedicated their victory in the Shine walking football tournament to squad member Colin Povey who died suddenly last week, writes Dave Wright.

His death came as a great shock to the players, some of whom had spoke to him on the telephone while they were on their way back from winning a competition in Derby the previous Sunday.

A minute’s silence was observed by the teams before the start of the six-team event held at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre on Sunday.

South Reading - labelled the ‘Coffin Dodgers’ by Colin - remained unbeaten throughout the afternoon, defeating Fleet 2-0 in the final after a penalty shoot-out.

Their team included local referee Steve McMahon and ‘supersub’ Bob Brodrick, who had a triple heart bypass earlier in the year.

Bob has also been nursing a knee problem, but says walking football is a good way of keeping active .And that is exactly what Shine is all about.

Open to Wokingham Borough residents over the age of 60, it organisers numerous exercises and activities for the older generation on a regular basis Sunday’s football tournament was the first to be held but organiser Jamie Shepherd said it is planned to make it a regular event.

All the teams who took part received medals from the Mayor of Wokingham, Councillor Bob Pitts.

South Reading were following up their victory of the previous weekend when they were representing Reading FC against teams from Derby County, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Middlesborough, Lincoln, Northampton and Stamford.

Held for teams over the age of 50, they won the Midlands Masters title by beating Stamford on penalties in the final.

They will be re-presented with their trophy during Reading’s televised Championship game against QPR at Madejski Stadium on January 12.

McMahon and Brodrick were joined in the winning team by skipper Brian Arndell, John Ashby, Pat O’Sullivan, Frank Hood and Phil Cullimore.