A fan-tastic effort; Boro supporters are battling the blisters on 256-mile trek.Byline: KAREN FAUGHEY THREE footie fanatics are kicking on through the pain barrier as they get closer to their goal of completing a mammoth 256-mile charity walk. The life-long Boro fans set off from the Riverside Stadium This article is about a football ground. For the baseball stadium now under a different name, see Commerce Bank Park. For the cricket ground, see Riverside Ground. The Riverside Stadium after Saturday's disappointing draw with Aston Villa, and are aiming to arrive at Upton Park Coordinates: This article is about the area in London. For the West Ham United football stadium, see Boleyn Ground. Upton Park is an area in the London Borough of Newham. in time for Sunday's final game of the season against West Ham Coordinates: West Ham is a district in the London Borough of Newham, in east London, England, located 6.1 miles (9.8 km) east of Charing Cross. From 1889 to 1965 it formed part of the County Borough of West Ham. . Despite Boro needing a five-goal miracle to stay in the Premier League, Jeff Patterson, from Eaglescliffe, Paul Brand, from Hardwick, and Rob Blanchard, from Stokesley, are keeping the faith and are determined to stay positive. The trio left Stamford in Lincolnshire yesterday with the aim of getting that little bit closer to the capital - where the West Ham officials have assured them of a warm welcome. Jeff, 28, said: "We've kind of gone on a wing and a prayer and made the route up as we've gone along, but we believe we're on track. "We are in untold amounts of pain. It's a nightmare stopping because once you get started again it really hurts.. "I think we own every foot product on the market - blister plasters, normal plasters and these funny little foam things. "I don't think our feet are hitting the floor. We're just walking on cushions of foam." The 256-mile trek will take seven days to complete and the group are aiming to cover between 30 and 40 miles a day. Jeff said: "At the beginning of the season I was on crutches because I ruptured ligaments in my knee playing football. "I decided it would be best if I stopped playing, so I started doing a bit of walking and dragged Paul, 29, and Rob, 43, along. I think they're starting to regret it now. "We are having a laugh and enjoying ourselves but it's been a lot harder than we ever imagined. Just to get to each hotel is a huge achievement and to be able to sit down and relax in the bath." As well as lending their support to Boro, the lads are completing the walk in aid of three charities - the Finlay Cooper Fund, The Bobby Moore
Robert Frederick Chelsea "Bobby" Moore, OBE (born Barking, England, April 12, 1941 - died London, February 24, 1993) was an English footballer. Fund and the NSPCC NSPCC (in Britain) National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children NSPCC (Brit) n abbr (= National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) → Kinderschutzbund m . To see how the group is getting on, visit www.boro2upton.org or send a message of support to 07905 153709.. CAPTION(S): FAR TO GO: From left, Jeff Patterson, Paul Brand and Rob Blanchard at the start of their journey |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion