TWO Town fans showed more endeavour than most to back Lee Clark’s men at Hartlepool last night.
Paul Aspinall and Richard Sommerville were in the stands cheering on the team at the Victoria Park.
And they were nursing sore limbs after a 100-mile bike ride to get there.
Actually it was just a little further than 100 miles – the pair walked the last half mile after Richard suffered a puncture.
Their two-wheel efforts were part of the club’s campaign to raise cash for the Academy and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
Paul and Richard will be among 170 cyclists who will be cycling to Brighton for the April 30 game along with Town chairman and owner Dean Hoyle.
They aim to raise tens of thousands of pounds for the vital helicopter charity and the club’s players of the future.
“We thought rather than just going on a training ride, we may as well do something useful”, said Paul, 42, of Shelley.
“We decided to ride to Hartlepool and it took us exactly eight hours. We were lucky with the weather, with blue skies and a light wind all the way”.
Richard, 45, of Lepton, who is a construction manager, added: “We’re doing the big Brighton ride so this was a good training run. But we were coming back to Huddersfield on the supporters’ club coach, with our bikes tucked away”.
Richard is married to Vicki and they have four children between them – Alice, Jack, George and Corey.
Paul is a printer and is married to Sarah, and they have two sons, Jamie and George.
Both men have followed Town for decades and are regulars at both home and away games.
The Brighton ride – called To the Withdean With Dean – leaves the Galpharm on April 27.
The riders plan to arrive at Brighton’s stadium just in time for the clash, which could settle promotion.
