New Hartlepool football scheme to help men achieve weight loss goals

Gavin Painter and Steve Gaffney from Hartlepool Borough Council who will be running the MAN V FAT taster sessions and league.

Hartlepool council bosses have teamed up with Sport England and the FA in MAN V FAT which launches in town next month at the 3G pitch at Brierton Sports Centre.

It begins with a series of eight weekly taster sessions from October 29 to December 17, followed by a 14-week league starting in January.

Aimed at overweight and obese men, players will be weighed 30 minutes before they play and matches will be decided not just on goals scored but also pounds shed with teams earning goal bonuses based on their members’ collective weight loss.

Daniel Garthwaite, Senior Sport and Physical Activity Co-ordinator with Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “We’re delighted to be working with MAN V FAT and The FA to bring this initiative to Hartlepool where the biggest losers win.

“There has been a really positive response where MAN V FAT leagues have been set up in other parts of the country and it would be great if this also proved to be the case in Hartlepool.”

Since MAN V FAT Football launched in January 2016, more than 5,500 players have joined leagues around the UK and lost nearly 64 tons in weight between them.

Thanks to Sport England and the FA it is free and a £10 registration charge to play in the league is refundable if a player completes 80% or more of the season.

Each Monday taster session will include a weigh-in and four 30-minute six-a-side games. Players can sign up for the league at www.manvfatfootball.org by searching for Hartlepool.

For more details email [email protected] or call (01429) 284050.