Fans in marathon football challenge

by ADRIAN JENKINS

FIVE fanatical Burton Albion supporters are planning to visit every ground in the club's league in 48 hours to raise money for a national charity's cancer care unit.

Reg Drew, 46, and his son Mark, 17, of Tutbury, Lee Whyman, 21, of Alrewas, Shane Roberts, 20, of Hatton, and Darren Haywood, 40, of Burton, will generate funds for Macmillan Cancer Care's Nightingale Unit, in Derby, by calling at all 24 stadiums in the Blue Square Premier League in a 1,000-mile-plus trip.

Sponsored mainly by friends, relatives and workmates, the Brewers fans will kick-off their trip on Monday, April 7, 2008, by visiting the Kit Kat Crescent, home of York City.

They will then cross the Pennines, taking in grounds including Halifax's The Shay and Stafford Rangers' Marston Road, before heading down the M5 to call at Torquay United's Plainmoor.

During the second day, the group will dash across southern England, visiting stadia including Weymouth's Wessex Stadium and Ebbsfleet United's Stonebridge Road, before heading north in a bid to return to Burton in time to see Albion's home tie with Altrincham in the evening.

"It's going to be a big ask," said Reg Drew, who said his team were 'really looking forward' to their 12-grounds-a-day effort and hoped it would generate £2,000 for the unit.

The bin lorry driver, of Redhill Lane, said the trip was originally the brainchild of Mr Whyman, a fleet manager, but that he had personal reasons for lending his support.

Mr Drew said two relatives, both now deceased, had received excellent care from the charity, which was 'second to none' and helped people suffering from a condition which affected many.

He, Mr Whyman and Mark Drew, a student at de Ferrer's Specialist Technology College, Mr Roberts, a railway worker, and Mr Haywood, a civil servant, will undertake the challenge in a vehicle loaned by Burton firm TCH and fuelled by £200 petrol paid for by two of his friends.

They will attempt to maximise revenue by asking Burton businesses for cash and auctioning a signed Brewers shirt, to be presented at the club's New Year's Day derby with Stafford.

Anyone who would like to donate money towards the charity drive is asked to telephone Mr Drew on 01283 814998 or 07864 679249, or e-mail him at regjan@drew98.freeserve.co.uk.