So it is more than appropriate that the cultured centre-half has been honoured by the Walking Footballers of Olhão as they prepare to play the first ever international competition between Portugal and the UK.
A squad of seventeen mature players - you have to be over fifty years of age to participate - will arrive from Farnborough, Hampshire to match their skills against the Soccer Olhanense Strollers made up of English, Scottish, Norwegian, German and Irish expats.
Cove Rapidly Ageing Pensioners, under the watchful eye of their sports therapist manager Mick Quinn, play Walking Football in the same town that John Mortimore was born, eighty-years-ago. When approached John said, “I was very thrilled to be asked to be involved in the Walking Football Tournament and to have the trophy named after me. I have fond memories of Cove and Farnborough as this is where I grew up and played all my early sport. I also have hugely enjoyable memories of working in Portugal at Benfica and Belenenses. The years at Benfica were the most enjoyable of my career. It is a wonderful club with a wonderful history.”
The tournament on Saturday 21 February takes place on the astro-turf pitch at the José Arcanjo Stadium in Olhão (behind McDonalds on the EN125) starting at 11am when the teams will parade their respective country’s flags before the games get underway. A camera crew from the English Football Association will be flying over especially to record events for inclusion in a documentary on the health and social benefits of Walking Football. Thanks to sponsorship by international tax and wealth management advisers Blevins Franks, the weekend will also include a Presentation Dinner on the Saturday evening when seventy guests will be present to see British Vice-consul Clive Jewell present the John Mortimore Trophy.
Sunday morning, 22 February, will see the players doing battle again, but this time at FootGolf, at the Colina Verde Sports and Golf Resort at Maragota. Chris Wright, organiser of the weekend’s events, said, “We are extremely grateful to Blevins Franks for their support which has enabled us to kit out the teams in suitable gear and produce a commemorative brochure as a record of this historic event. It is amazing; little did I think six months ago when we started Walking Football that this new sport would fire the imagination of so many mature players. Even when it is raining or the thermometer is hovering just above zero we continue to get a large turnout.” With the new sport starting up at Browns Health Centre & Spa later this month there will be more opportunities for the over 50s to keep fit and active whilst reliving childhood memories.
For more information Tel: (+351) 916504903 or email: Christopher.wright@hotmail.co.uk
* John Mortimore, made 279 appearances for Chelsea, won the Primeira Liga title with Benfica in 1977and ten years later repeated the feat, together with winning the Portugal Cup in consecutive years. He also managed Belenenses (Lisbon), Ethnikos Piraeus (Greece), Portsmouth, Real Betis (Spain) and Southampton.