They are on on their bikes again for a great cause.
Some 180 riders have begun Huddersfield Town’s ‘Pedal for Pounds 7’ bike ride - the Keep It Up campaign fundraising event generating funds for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and the Huddersfield Town Academy.
Many fans and sponsors are involved in the ride dubbed The Shankly Tour, as homage to the late great Bill Shankly, taking in three of the clubs he managed: Carlisle United (1948-1951), Huddersfield Town (1956-1959) and Liverpool FC (1959-1974).
The ride began this morning at Carlisle United’s Brunton Park will finish this evening 80 miles south in Lancaster.
On Thursday, the ride will start in Lancaster, pass Preston North End whom Shankly played for from 1933 to 1949, and end in Liverpool, which is 65 miles in total.
Friday will be the last day of the ride, starting in Liverpool and ending 70 miles away back in Huddersfield.
There will be a celebration for the cyclists at PPG Canalside on the Friday evening with friends and family welcome.
And on Saturday, the day of Town’s last home game versus Brentford, participants will be asked to meet at PPG Canalside pre kick off, and make their way on to the John Smith’s Stadium for their lap of honour.
The ride is 215 miles in total and will see supporters and staff alike raising funds for the ‘Keep It Up’ campaign; the Club’s fundraising partnership between the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and the Huddersfield Town Academy.
Watch last year's Pedal 4 Pounds homecoming
Huddersfield Town Supporters Association member John Sealey is on the ride.
He said: “Since its inception, Pedal for Pounds has raised in excess of £1m for the YAA, and the cost of all YAA call outs in the Huddersfield area for the last few years have been covered by the riders’ fundraising.
“This is the seventh, and encompasses a tour of the grounds where the great Bill Shankly was manager, from Carlisle to Huddersfield via Liverpool and Preston. 216 miles over three days – let’s hope the weather stays nice and everyone gets home safe and well.
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“The HTSA have consistently supported the P4P events – personally, this will be my third ride, but Steve King our past chairman has done more than that.
“I have a personal reason to do this - I have a friend who owes his life to the YAA. He
was on a motorcycle which was hit by a car at 70mph; the impact tore him practically in two. The Air Ambulance was on the scene in minutes, and quite literally saved his life at the roadside. After years of rehabilitation and physiotherapy, he can lead an almost-normal life with his wife and children.”
