March of the Day, the charity event raising funds for the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation organised by Blues legend Marcus Stewart and former Liverpool and Bradford right-back Stephen Darby, gets under way today with a host of ex-players and managers taking part.
Stewart, 51, was diagnosed with MND just over two years ago, while Darby, 35, was forced to retire from the game due to the disease in 2018.
A core of 16 former players started the march today at the University of Bradford Stadium this morning and over two and a half days will travel more than 175 miles, taking in 19 a total of football grounds, among them Elland Road, the Etihad Stadium, Old Trafford, Goodison Park and finally Anfield on Sunday evening.
The football community has got involved with the likes of former Blues skipper Matt Holland, ex-boss Mick McCarthy, Steph Houghton, who is married to Darby, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Jill Scott, Neil Mellor, Jamie Hoyland, David May, Tim Breacker, John McGinley, Chloe Kelly, Dominic Matteo, Paul Dickov, Jeff Whitley, Jay Spearing, Colin Hendry, Chris Kirkland and Andy Booth among the former players taking part at some stage.
Stewart spoke about March of the Day in his appearance on Life’s a Pitch TV in January.
"March of the Day, from 22nd March to 24th, the Friday to the Sunday, taking in 19 football clubs, 175 miles over the weekend,” he explained.
"Some people are going to be two-thirds of that, some might do all of it, but anyone can join in. You can do as little or as much as you want to do.
"There’s a core group doing it with sponsors and stuff like that but each club we’re going to, if you want to just join in you can.
"Hopefully we can raise more awareness of this event that’s going on. I think it would be big, obviously Kev Sinfield and Rob Burrow have done loads between them as a team. If we can get the football community involved like they’ve got the rugby community involved, along with Doddie [Weir] and Ed Slater, then we have a chance of beating this disease, we really do, I really believe that.
"Ten years ago, if you got MND, you might have been in a bit of trouble, but these days I think we’re so close to finding a cure, we just need more investment to help the scientists to get to the details and get to the nooks and crannies of what’s going on with MND.
"If not a cure, some sort of treatment that will extend life by years and not months or days.
"We can only do that now, so hopefully in our time everyone contributes to that and everyone will eventually be part of that cure, whether you’ve raised a pound or £1,000.”
The March of the Day core group’s Just Giving page, with funds going to the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation, can be found here.