Team ITFC, including former Blues Simon Milton, Terry Butcher and Titus Bramble, arrived back at Portman Road at the end of the Ipswich-Amsterdam Cycling Challenge earlier this afternoon.
The 250-mile four-day charity round-trip, which celebrated the 35th anniversary of Town’s UEFA Cup win, joined up with Prostate Cancer UK's annual London to Amsterdam cycle and once in Holland visited the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam where the final took place.
Team ITFC, which numbered 40, then moved on to the home of final opponents AZ Alkmaar, where there was a game against their staff and fans, which the home side won 4-0, while Butcher was reunited with former team-mates Frans Thijssen and Arnold Muhren (footage and interviews in Dutch here. The ride raised money for the ITFC Academy and Prostate Cancer UK.
"You can see the smiles on the face of our cyclists for being part of what we’ve just achieved,” Milton told the club site.
"The cycling first of all, visiting Amsterdam, being involved in the game, meeting Frans and Arnold in Alkmaar as well will make it very difficult to top.
Het is gedaan op het AFAS Trainingscomplex. Oud-AZ neemt 35 jaar na de UEFA Cup-finale 'revanche': 4-0. #azips pic.twitter.com/GCp63yZpTc– AZ (@AZAlkmaar) June 5, 2016
"It was amazing when we got to Alkmaar. We had no idea what to expect but there was over 100 people there watching and they really pushed the boat out.
"We picked two teams, and Terry Butcher was the manager and little things like that they will never forget.
Ipswich 2 Amsterdam &back complete. What a great 4 days. Thanks to everyone who helped me get through it. #TeamITFC pic.twitter.com/wMikBLVKLa– Titus Bramble (@19tmb) June 6, 2016
"We've done it for three years now and it's great to keep raising money for such a great cause.
"To see everyone come through the gate to their families today and celebrate what they’ve just achieved was a special moment.”
#TeamITFC #I2A 250 miles, 4 days, 5 boats, one Van, One game, 43 people, two charities! £80,000 and counting! What a Team #thankyou– Simon Milton (@Milts25) June 6, 2016
To sponsor Butcher click here, to sponsor Bramble click here and to sponsor Milton click here.