Arthur Mason
Arthur Mason 1959 - 2020
Arthur Mason, 60, was a Hatters fan and regularly followed them home and away. He was also the Luton Town Walking Football Club's player manager and was the joint founder of Jolly Topers FC in Round Green Luton. The club was founded in 2004 and went on to win many trophies.
In 2015 Luton Town FC hosted a walking football tournament and a number of volunteer players turned up to represent the town in its first Walking Football tournament, and the rest as they say, is history.
Arthur took the reigns and drove the Luton Town Walking Football initiative forward. becoming its manager, player, organiser and general do it all guy. Under his leadership, LTWFC won a national trophy at Manchester City's Etihad stadium. This was followed by the creation of a an over sixties side that also got to a national final their first season!
In 2019 Arthur was nominated for BBC's unsung Hero Award. The nominees wrote: "Arthur Mason is a Luton Town Football Club Walking football volunteer / manager and a Jolly Topers FC joint founder and volunteer / manager and he is special because for the last fifteen to twenty years since he retired from playing football, he has encouraged everyone from teenagers to pensioners to get back into football for social and fitness benefits and also for the more competitive players to play competitively."
Arthur retired from playing after reaching his 60th birthday, and the Club marked the occasion by staging a walking football game at Kenilworth Rd followed by a half-time presentation from all of his team mates - photo above.
“Arthur finally achieved his dream of playing on the hallowed turf .."
Since his passing and with COVID lockdowns, Luton Town Walking Football Club has struggled a bit to regain competition success once earned under Arthur's tenure - but we're getting there. We're recruiting more players and would love to create a ladies team, something Arthur was working on before his untimely death.
It is hoped to create two milestone walking football events in Arthur's memory, a memorial league for local home county clubs and a memorial tournament open to a much wider club participation.
One thing is for sure - this club would not exist without Arthur's tireless enthusiasm and hard work. Sorely missed, never forgotten.
