Peterborough ‘Man V Fat’: football team with average BMI of more than 27.5 reach semi-final of national competition

A Peterborough football team made up of men trying to lose weight has reached the semi-final of a national competition.

Man V Fat is an initiative which helps men to lose weight and get fitter by playing football. It first launched its six-a-side league in Peterborough in May 2017.

Peterborough’s Man V Fat 11-a-side team has now reached the semi-final of the Roger Izzard Memorial Trophy - a nationwide tournament set up by the men who play in Man V Fat leagues across the country.

Peterborough’s Man V Fat team beat Northampton 9-1 in the quarter final last Sunday (April 24) - winning 11-2 on aggregate across two legs to reach the semi-final. The semi-final will be against Portsmouth at Ilkeston Town’s stadium (New Manor Ground) on May 15.

“I’m already emailing coach companies to see what their prices are from here to the stadium,” Martyn Bedford, Peterborough Man V Fat manager and player, said.

Martyn first joined Man V Fat four years ago - playing in a weekly small-sided league at Nene Park Academy in Peterborough. Men with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 27.5 or over can join Man V Fat - which says 90% of its players lose weight and get fitter thanks to playing regular football and the support it offers off the pitch.

“When I started I was 120kg - and the lowest I got down to was 75kg,” Martyn said. “There’s some brilliant stories which come out of Man v Fat all across the country.

“People believe it’s just about losing weight - but it does a lot for people’s mental health. I struggled with not always feeling welcomed in certain situations because of the size I was - but when you join, you meet people who are in exactly the same boat as you, which is refreshing.

“You help other people along their journey. I’ve made a lot of mates - it’s mainly because of the social side of it. You make new friends from around the country.”

The Roger Izzard Memorial Trophy was set up by Paul Baker - the organiser of a Man V Fat league in Doncaster. Peterborough’s Man V Fat 11-a-side team finished top of their group - which featured southern teams Northampton, Cambridge and Boston.

They played each side three times - only losing one of their nine fixtures to progress to the knockout stages of the southern side of the draw.

Peterborough’s Man V Fat XI saw off Kidderminster, Taunton - in a dramatic penalty shootout - and Northampton across two legs to reach the semi-final against Portsmouth on May 15. They will face a team in the northern side of the draw in the final.

Adult tickets cost £5 and under-18s are free. You can purchase tickets by clicking here (adult tickets / under-18s tickets).

Man V Fat run a small-sided league on Monday nights from 6.30-9.30pm at Nene Park Academy, on Oundle Road. For more details on how to join Man V Fat, click here.