Former Scotland football heroes have joined an ex-player with MND on the 150-mile March of The Day to raise funds to help tackle the disease.
A FORMER footballer living with motor neuron disease will join some of Scottish football’s best-known former players in a 150-mile charity walk this weekend to raise funds for research into the devastating neurological condition.
Ex-Scotland internationals John McGinlay and Andy Walker will join a team of former professionals and supporters for the Scottish March of the Day, a three-day challenge that will see participants walk from Motherwell’s Fir Park to Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, visiting 22 football grounds along the way.
The event – which runs from 10 to 12 October – is inspired by footballers Marcus Stewart and Stephen Darby, both diagnosed with MND, and held in memory of rugby legend Doddie Weir OBE, who died with the disease in 2022. The team hopes to raise £50,000 to be shared between the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation and My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.
Among those taking part is Martin Johnston, the former Cove Rangers, Peterhead, Brechin City and Elgin City player who was diagnosed with MND seven years ago. The 32-strong group of walkers and support crew will complete the route in rotation, supported by a network of clubs, fans and local organisations along the way.
Starting at Fir Park in Motherwell, the walk will include stops at Hampden Park, Ibrox, Celtic Park, St Mirren, Falkirk, Hibernian and Heart of Midlothian before finishing at Murrayfield’s Oor Doddie statue. A pipe band and civic send-off are planned for the opening leg.
The event is backed by PFA Scotland and Portal Security Ltd, with logistical support from Redwood Events, the charity events team behind previous March of the Day walks in England. The SPFL Trust has coordinated links with clubs across the route, while the Scottish Football Supporters Association and more than 40 companies have lent support or sponsorship.
Former Liverpool and Bradford City defender Stephen Darby, who co-founded the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation after his own diagnosis in 2018, said the event had already received overwhelming backing.
He said: “March of the Day events have brought together people, fans and football clubs in an incredible way. Each one raises awareness of MND as well as vital funds for grants and research. The support we’ve had from across Scotland has been unbelievable.
“When those of us living with MND see people walking, fundraising and standing with us, it gives us strength to keep fighting. Together, we can make a real impact – and hopefully one day find a cure.”
Paul Thompson, Director of Fundraising and Communications at the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said the walk would be ‘more than just a long trek’.
He said: “It’s a powerful way to shine a spotlight on MND and the urgent need for new treatments. It’s tough, it’s ambitious, and it’s powered by passion. Every step helps fund the research that will bring us closer to treatments, and our ultimate aim, a world free of MND.”
The list of participants includes former professionals Nathan Clarke and Filipe Morais, both former teammates of Darby at Bradford City, as well as Stuart Barlow, the ex-Everton striker whose mother died from MND.
Several of Johnston’s former teammates – Kevin Tindal, Mark Perry, Jamie Lennox, Barry Thompson, and Andy Gibson – are also joining the challenge in support of their friend.
More than a dozen football clubs and community trusts, including Motherwell FC Community Trust, Cove Rangers, Aberdeen FC Community Trust, Montrose Community Trust, Spartans FC, and Ross County FC, are sponsoring or welcoming the walkers as they pass through.
The foundations involved have raised millions for MND research and support. Since its creation in 2017, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation has committed almost £20m to research, while the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation provides grants, awareness and emotional support for those living with the condition.
Redwood Events, founded by Mike Wilson and Steve Wood, has raised more than £1.6 million for charities through sporting challenges over the past 17 years.
The Scottish March of the Day will conclude at Murrayfield on October 12, with players, supporters and families expected to gather at the finish line to honour those who have inspired the campaign.
Motherwell FC Community Trust were delighted to donate £250 to the cause.
Donations can be made via the team’s fundraising page: donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/smotd-core-team.
For more information visit www.redwoodevents.co.uk/smotd.
