Moran begins epic charity bike ride (From Daily Echo)
When news happens, text SDE and your photos or videos to 80360. Or contact us by email and phone.
Moran begins epic charity bike ride
5:54pm Sunday 1st April 2012 in Saints News
Steve Moran scoring his most famous Saints goal
STEVE Moran set off on his 1,400-mile charity bike ride today.
The former Saints star aims to complete his Premiership Pedalathon by April 21 and in doing so raise money and awareness of a rare form of muscular dystrophy.
He has been inspired by Connor Lancaster, the 12-year-old son of his partner Hayley, who was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy when he was three.
Fittingly, Steve set off from Martin House Hospice in Boston Spa, Yorkshire – which Connor attends - aiming to complete the 84 miles to Sunderland’s Stadium of Light later today.
From there he will cycle on to Newcastle and every other Premier League ground - as well as Wembley and the five clubs he played for (Saints, Leicester, Reading, Exeter and Hull).
The money Steve raises will be shared between four charities – the Connor Lancaster Trust, Martin House Hospice, Muscular Dystrophy Campaign and Action Duchenne.
Now a lorry driver, 51-year-old Steve hopes the training he has done will be enough.
“You can never do enough training for something like this,” he says.
“I did seven hours on a turbo trainer at the weekend but found it very uncomfortable so I’ll be investing in a gel saddle cover!
“I’m sure it’s going to hurt but I’ve got a lot of support.
“Various friends have kindly offered to drive the support vehicle on a lot of the legs, including Connor’s dad and a guy I met on Facebook whose son suffers from the same condition.”
Steve played for Saints from 1979-1986 and is best remembered for scoring the winning goal against Pompey at Fratton Park in an FA Cup fourth round tie in 1984.
He will cycle the 110 miles from Exeter City to St Mary’s on April 12 before departing for Reading the next morning.
He hopes many Saints fans will cycle the 46 miles to the Madejski Stadium with him on Friday, April 13 -before heading back for the big game against Reading that night.
“I’ll be staying at the Jolly Farmer in Warsash, which used to be my local, and a lot of Southampton fans have said they’ll be joining me en route which will be fantastic, it’ll be great to see them,” he said.
“We’ll be setting off at 11am so will probably arrive in Reading around 3pm. Hopefully Saints will complete a memorable day by beating Reading in the evening!”
On April 21, Streve will complete his epic journey by cycling the 146 miles from Carrow Road, Norwich to Hull City’s KC Stadium, the club where he finished his playing career and where he is now a matchday host.
There is no cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, but Steve hopes his efforts will go some way to improving Connor’s quality of life.
“Because it’s so rare it doesn’t get the same funding of illnesses like cancer, but they’re so close to finding a treatment, so I had to do something,” he explained.
For more information, check www.premiershippedalathon.co.uk.
Comments(23)
Condor Man
says...
7:07pm Sun 1 Apr 12
Seedhouse the Unrepentant
says...
7:12pm Sun 1 Apr 12
On The Bus
says...
9:07pm Sun 1 Apr 12
rob the saint in NZ
says...
9:28pm Sun 1 Apr 12
Good luck Steve.
puppy saint
says...
10:24pm Sun 1 Apr 12
Oldfan
says...
7:14am Mon 2 Apr 12
puppy saint wrote:........absolutely
Respect
Oldfan
says...
7:32am Mon 2 Apr 12
Norwegian Saint
says...
8:13am Mon 2 Apr 12
Condor Man wrote:I did... it was great. Even seeing old players like Golac playing for Man city (remember his screamer of a goal for us?) Shilton, Mills, Wright, Moran, Holmes, Wallace... those days are only bettered by these ones.
Did anyone else watch The Big Match Revisited on ITV4 yesterday? Steve Moran scored a hattrick against Man City. Shame he's having to drive a lorry now, had he played today he'd be sitting in his mansion by now.
How about getting old Saints together for the Coventry game and give our boys a lift?
Saintsayer II
says...
8:15am Mon 2 Apr 12
under the tap
says...
8:18am Mon 2 Apr 12
under the tap
says...
8:30am Mon 2 Apr 12
simon101
says...
10:34am Mon 2 Apr 12
RedArmy1
says...
10:54am Mon 2 Apr 12
Changing Subject to our next Home Game and getting the 3 Points .....
If NIGEL insists on playing Guly in the next game - then he cannot use him for corners and marking up the opposition. He must be placed elsewhere.
I do not want to see one Saints Player losing out to a header on Saturday - and it is not up to Rickie Lambert to do all the work.
1) THE SAINTS PLAYERS NEED TO WORK EXTREMELY HARD IN TRAINING THIS WEEK .....(ESPECIALLY DEFENCE)
2) THE COACHING STAFF NEED TO UP THEIR GAME.
3) NIGEL NEEDS TO TAKE HIS ROSE TINTED GLASSES OFF ... PUT OUT HIS STRONGEST TEAM AND WIN SATURDAY.
NO EXCUSES - F*CKING GET ON WITH IT !!!!
GET THE APPLAUSE AND THE CREDIT WHEN YOU HAVE SECURED THE 3 POINTS.
RED ARMY 2012. FIGHT AND WIN. COYR.
moulefanggoule
says...
11:57am Mon 2 Apr 12
billythesaint
says...
1:35pm Mon 2 Apr 12
Costa Baz
says...
1:48pm Mon 2 Apr 12
Do I remember him turning down an England call up, as it clashed with his wedding?
Also seem to remember his replacement was someone called Gary lineker.
What ever happened to him?
lowe esteem
says...
2:22pm Mon 2 Apr 12
Costa Baz wrote:aka "the boy line acre"-thank you Micky you old warhorse.
Good luck Steve.
Do I remember him turning down an England call up, as it clashed with his wedding?
Also seem to remember his replacement was someone called Gary lineker.
What ever happened to him?
Thank you Steve for that sublime goal resulting from an earlier takeover bid at Krap Nottarf- well a coin anyway-that hit Mark Dennis and knocked him sensible!
Class-that's the difference.
AndyT in Salt Lake City, USA
says...
2:23pm Mon 2 Apr 12
My best friend here has a son with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy - it's terrible to watch these innocent youngsters slowly lose their strength as their muscles waste away. It's a great cause.
techsture
says...
8:49pm Mon 2 Apr 12
Can't we get a photo of him now?
moulefanggoule
says...
2:03pm Tue 3 Apr 12
techsture wrote:Trust me you wouldn't recognise him! (unless you were at Danny Wallace's testimonial!)
Was my idol when i was a kid at school, our whole year bought Patrick football boots because of him. Can't we get a photo of him now?
s@int Matt
says...
12:10pm Wed 4 Apr 12
lowe esteem
says...
1:48pm Thu 5 Apr 12
techsture wrote:Picture in (last weekend's) 'The Pink' of Steve on his bike.
Was my idol when i was a kid at school, our whole year bought Patrick football boots because of him.
Can't we get a photo of him now?
St.Yorkie says...
6:26pm Sun 1 Apr 12