Blues legend Marcus Stewart made an emotional return to Portman Road last night at the completion of March of the Day IIMarch of the Day II, which was raising funds for the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation.
Stewart, 52, and ex-Liverpool and Bradford City full-back Stephen Darby, who have both been diagnosed with the disease, were behind the first March of the Day last year which saw ex-players and fans walk all or part of the distance from Bradford City’s Valley Parade to Anfield in Liverpool, taking in 19 clubs on the way, raising £200,000 in the process.
March of the Day II started at Wembley on Friday and in stages of around four or five miles took in grounds around London before moving east through Essex and Suffolk, before arriving in Ipswich last night.
While most of the around 600 participants were involved for only sections of the route, between them 16 core walkers, who included Stewart’s wife Louise and Town captain Matt Holland, covered the whole 179 miles. Stewart, who spoke to TWTD about the event last week, did the first and last stages.
Ex-Blues Terry Butcher, Russell Osman, Simon Milton, Cole Skuse, Darren Bent, Freddie Sears, Stuart Slater, Gavin Johnson, Kevin Lisbie and former keeper-coach Jimmy Walker were also among 56 ex-pros taking part at some stage.
The arrival in Ipswich was an emotional affair with a large crowd as well as representatives of the football club including chairman and CEO Mark Ashton as well as Stewart’s Blues manager George Burley.
Donations to March of the Day II can be made via the Core Team Fundraising Page, while Blue Action and Dan Botten, author of several Town books, were also taking part and raising funds.