Town on the march with Stelling

Jeff Stelling is ready to hit the road again

After marching his beloved Hartlepool United to Wembley in 2016, Stelling is back pounding the pavement once again to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK, the official charity partner of the EFL.

Last Saturday Stelling set off from St James Park, home of the Exeter City side beaten by Blackpool in last month’s League Two play-off final, in an attempt to walk 400 miles and visit more than 40 football clubs, finishing at the other St James’ Park, home of Newcastle United, on Friday week, June 16.

As previously reported in The Gazette, Stelling will be stopping off at Blackpool FC’s Bloomfield Road on Saturday and he will be visiting AFC Fylde’s Mill Farm that day too.

Then on Sunday, the 62-year-old will kick off his 10th day from Highbury Stadium, where he will be joined by a number of Town representatives.

The coastal leg of his grand tour will finish at Morecambe’s Globe Arena.

Stelling undertook another arduous quest last year, when he walked 10 marathons in 10 days and visited 32 football clubs. He clocked up 262 miles in the process, raising £420,000.

He was joined by more than 400 people, who all had a story to tell as to why they stood shoulder to shoulder with Stelling.

Stelling said: “After the agony and ecstasy of the walk last year – particularly the agony – so many people have been in touch with me, people with stories of their battle against prostate cancer.

“It’s just inspirational and it’s inspired me to do something once again.

“There were too many stories to tell in truth. Every single one was inspirational.

“I’d be walking alongside people and saying, ‘Why are you here?’ And the person I’m talking to might say, ‘I’ve been given six months to live’.

“They were spending their precious moments walking to support the battle against prostate cancer, so that other people in the future didn’t suffer in the way they were feeling right then.”

Anyone who walked last year or is new to Stelling’s challenge is welcome to sign up for day 10 of the March for Men and help stop prostate cancer being a killer.

To find out more or join in the fundraising effort, visit www.marchformen.org/jeffsmarch