Article: Brian Flynn

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What is The Grassroots Football Tour

The Grassroots Football Tour is a 154-mile circular walk around football grounds in West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.

The walk starts and ends at Ossett United FC.

There are 41 stages visiting 22 football clubs.

The route will take over 50 hours to complete over 3 days, including a core team of 16 who will walk, in rotation, in teams of 4. Each core team member will walk for around 13 hours in total.

How can you help?

The event is to raise funds for the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation.

Grassroots Football Tour Event Page is fundraising for The Darby Rimmer MND Foundation

The fundraising target is £30,000 and almost £24,000 has already been raised by over 700 supporters.

Let’s be involved in getting this well over the line to support the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation help the many people suffering with Motor-Neurone Disease, as well as their families and friends.

When is The Grassroots Tour?

Start-Today Friday June 6 @ 12.00

Finish-Sunday June 8 @ 15.30

What is the Walking Route?

Ossett United

Leeds United

Farsley Celtic

Bradford City

Bradford Park Avenue

Brighouse Town

FC Halifax Town

Rochdale

Bury

Radcliffe

Horwich RMI

Atherton Collieries

TRAFFORD

ALTRINCHAM

Stockport County

Hyde United

Stalybridge Celtic

Droylsden

FC United of Manchester

Oldham Athletic

Longwood

Huddersfield Town

Ossett United

Grassroots Football Tour Event Page is fundraising for The Darby Rimmer MND Foundation

Why is Altrincham FC involved?

Sadly, Altrincham FC has lost 2 players to Motor-Neurone Disease, Mark ‘Maddog’ Maddox  and George Melling.

We have been heavily involved in raising money and awareness of this dreadful disease, since 2011 and we want to get right behind this tremendous event.

Which Altrincham players are walking?

Gary Scott, who was a playing colleague of both Mark Maddox and George Melling, is one of the core team of 16 walkers, involved in the whole event over 3 days.

Gary will be joined by the following players who have represented Altrincham FC on the leg of the walk between Trafford FC & Altrincham FC on Saturday June 7, departing from Shawe View, Pennybridge Lane, Urmston at 3.30pm and due to arrive at The J.Davidson Stadium, Moss Lane, Altrincham just before 6 pm.

Stuart Coburn

Steve Aspinall

Ged Kielty

Chris Adams

Jordan Hulme

Jake Moult

George Wilson

Matty Kosylo

We are expecting around 90 people to walk from Shawe View to The J.Davidson Stadium, including Club President Grahame Rowley, long-standing Director John Coyne and many Alty fans.

At almost 8 miles, Trafford FC to Altrincham FC is the longest leg of the tour.

Former director, Neil Faulkner and his wife, Hazel, are part of the transport team throughout the weekend.

Neil has worked tirelessly to ensure that Altrincham FC are very well represented at this very important event.

Grassroots Football Tour Event Page is fundraising for The Darby Rimmer MND Foundation

Trafford FC to Altrincham FC Route

Saturday’s route from Urmston to Altrincham comprises 2 stages of the 41 stages on the route.

STAGE 24 – TRAFFORD TO SALE 

• 0.0 – Head down Shawe Road along the side of the ground 

• 0.1 – At the end, turn right on Chassen Road 

• 0.4 – At the end, turn left on Church Road 

• 1.0 - Straight across the lights in Urmston onto Stretford Road veering         slightly right 

• 1.6 – Pass under M60 

• 2.4 – Fork right on Sandy Lane 

• 2.7 – Turn right onto Barton Road by the high-rise flats, staying on the right-hand pavement

• 2.8 – Head straight on past the roundabout towards the M60 

• 3.2 – Pass under the M60 

•3.5 – Handover at Costa Coffee on the right.

STAGE 25 –SALE TO ALTRINCHAM 

• 0.0 – Continue on Cross Street towards Sale 

• 1.1 – Through the lights at Marsland Road/Harboro Road 

• 2.3 – Straight on past Trafford College 

• 2.8 – Past Halfords and cross the Bridgewater Canal 

• 3.0 – Turn left at the lights on Barrington Road 

• 3.4 – Cross over the lights with Woodlands Road 

• 3.7 – Turn left at the lights in the town centre by HSBC/Nandos and head over the railway bridge.

• 3.8 – Cross over the lights into Moss Lane 

• 4.3 – Arrive at Altrincham FC

Grassroots Football Tour Event Page is fundraising for The Darby Rimmer MND Foundation