Mansfield Senior Walking Reds expecting delay in defending their crown in Italy

The Reds are the current Torneo Maestro Italiano Over-65 Champions, having last year managed to take the title with an unbeaten record.

Reds secretary Peter Walker said: “We have heard nothing official yet, but Northern Italy is not a place to be going currently so we expect that to be called off.

“We are not sure when they would rearrange it for.

“We have paid for flights and accommodation so we are hoping we'll be able to get that money back and plot our course again when things are freed up again.

“We usually play Monday and Thursday mornings at Mansfield Rugby Club but we have suspended playing for the immediate future until the situation changes.

“A number of competitions have stopped over here as well.

“We organise a tournament every quarter with our friends from Chesterfield and Worksop Town.

“Chesterfield were due to host one in April which is off and then there's one in the summer at Worksop which I am sure will go by the board too.

“We usually play two games a month in the East Midlands League, but I am sure next month's games will go.”

Walker admitted that, with the age of the players, they had to be extra-careful during this virus crisis.

“It's a shame and I would imagine it's going to be like this for some time,” he said.

“But it can't be helped. People's health is far more important than playing footy, especially at our age.

“We are all over 50. I have turned 70 now and still playing and we have a few older than me. The youngest are in their fifties. But there are not many of them.

“We seem to have more in their sixties upwards to 75. We will have to wait and hope that people get through it unscathed and we can resume at some stage.”

The Reds are the current Mansfield District Council Sports Recognition Awards Club of the Year.