Four squads. Two tournaments. One World title. It's been a summer to remember for the Sealand Pirates Walking Football teams, and there's a lot to get through, so let's take it squad by squad...
The Headline: World Masters 60+ Champions
Let's not bury this one. The Sealand Pirates 60s went to the World Masters at Briton Ferry and came home as World Champions in the Over 60s category. That's Sealand, a nation on a fort in the North Sea, standing at the top of a World Masters podium. Tell Us We Can't, indeed.
More on how they got there below, but if you take one thing away from this article, take that.
Pirates 55s: Fine Margins in the Nations Tournament
The Sealand Pirates 55s kicked off the Over 55s Nations Tournament in style, beating Wales 2-0. Sealand started slowly but grew into the game, with the midfield trio of Richard Bates, Paul Sleight and Mark Harrison taking control, well supported by Nick Young and Richard Sands. Wales grew frustrated as the fouls stacked up, and a penalty a minute before half-time, converted coolly by Nick Young, gave Sealand the lead. Nick added a second in the third quarter, turning his man before finishing well, and cameos from Jon King and Neil Brown saw the game out. A thoroughly professional start.
Game two was the one that got away. Sealand dominated possession against England Blue, but a late free-kick just before half-time put England ahead. Sealand hit back through a Jon King to Nick Young combination to level it at 1-1, and continued to dominate the second half, only for a sin bin decision to leave the Pirates down to five players in the closing stages. England punished the extra space with a rocket into the top corner to win it 2-1. A frustrating one, given how much of the game Sealand controlled.
The final group game was another case of fine margins, a 0-0 draw with England in which Sealand dominated but ran into an inspired England goalkeeper, who produced three big saves and denied a Sealand penalty with three minutes left. Roger Turnbull was equally solid at the other end, standing tall in a one-on-one to preserve the point.
The 55s finished third, which felt a little harsh given the football played across the tournament, but there was plenty for the squad to be proud of, and a huge amount to build on.
Pirates 70s: A Team Built From Scratch
The Pirates 70s story might be the most remarkable of the lot. This squad was only put together in April this year, and by the time the World Masters came around, they were competing for a place in the final.
Day one saw the 70s draw their first three matches before finishing with a win in their fourth, leaving them joint second in the group and through to the knockout stages. On day two, they battled to second place in the league and a spot in the final against a strong Northern Ireland side. After such a demanding run of games, the final proved one match too many, and the Pirates fell 2-0.
But for a team that didn't exist five months ago to be playing in a World Masters final, representing Sealand with that much pride, is a genuinely fantastic achievement, and this is a squad that will only get stronger.
Pirates 65s: Battling to the Wire
The Pirates 65s made a strong start too, taking one win and three draws from their opening four games to sit well placed in the middle of the league.
Their final day threw up tough conditions and tougher opposition. First came the league leaders and reigning World Champions, England, in a terrific 1-1 draw that had England rattled. Next was an unknown quantity in Forvik, who snatched an early goal that on another day might have been chalked off, before Sealand equalised after the break, only for Forvik to nick a second late on. The final game against Wales swung back and forth, Tony B converting two penalties either side of a Wales fightback, finishing 2-2.
One loss and two draws on the day wasn't quite enough to improve on the previous day's league position, but the football played was excellent, and the squad were grateful to the organisers and to John Cooney for getting them there.
Pirates 60s: Champions of the World
Which brings us back to where we started. The Pirates 60s campaign at Briton Ferry ended with the squad crowned World Masters 60+ Champions, capping off an incredible tournament for Sealand Sports.
Day one alone showed exactly what this squad was made of. Against England, the Pirates dominated the opening six minutes before a late, scuffed effort snuck in to hand England a 1-0 win that arguably didn't reflect the balance of play. Against Scotland, the lads were slow out of the blocks and found themselves behind, before Sam Rose produced an absolute thunderbolt to level it at 1-1, with Roger saving a penalty to keep Sealand in it. The must-win game against Cymru saw Mike Allen fire the Pirates into a 1-0 lead, and despite a nervy, foul-ridden finish that turned into a backs-to-the-wall defensive effort, the lads held on for a deserved win.
From there, the Pirates 60s kept their nerve all the way to the title. World Champions. Say that back to yourself. Sealand Sports, World Champions.
What's Next
With the World Masters wrapped up, attention turns to the rest of the Sealand Sports calendar, the Seahawks' Italy tour on 31st October, the Supersonics in Padua on 1st November, and everything else still to come this year. But for now, the Pirates have earned their moment. Every squad, every result, every one of those fine margins added up to a summer Sealand Sports won't forget.
World Champions. Tell Us We Can't...
- Mike Ireland, Minister for Sport and Culture
