Today one of the local papers Euro Weekly News picked up my story.

Steve Hall successfully completes the “92”

127 days and 3,060 miles in the saddle would not be high on the list of many a mortal. For one local Torrevieja gent, it’s been a mission that he felt needed to be done. That man is Steve Hall and four months later, after being knocked off his bike, spending a day or two in hospital and riding in more rain than he has experienced in a dozen or more years, his quest finished at the home of Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters, West Ham United, on September 23. On the way, Steve managed to visit all 92 English League football clubs along with a smattering of local and non-league teams too. The reason for all this effort was to raise awareness of the plight of the world’s 45-million refugees, something that FIFA, UEFA and the supporters of English League clubs now know more about than ever before.

We asked Steve how it all started.

“During the summer of 2009, I started to help promote the efforts of my friend and former professional footballer Bjorn Heidenstrom on his mission to cycle from Oslo to South Africa to raise awareness of the world’s 45 million refugees. Bjorn was collecting hundreds of football shirts as he cycled all over Europe and into Africa. These were sown together to make one gigantic shirt with had its own Marquee tent at the opening of the world cup. For my small part, I also decided to try and raise awareness, although on a smaller scale, by cycling around England and Wales.”

During the trip Steve received tremendous support from different and sometimes surprising sectors of the community. He slept on friends’ floors and sofas, in bed bug infected hostels, a few lovely hotels, a few not planned days in hospital and all on a ‘refugee’ budget of 20 euros per day. He always stresses that no matter how uncomfortable he might have felt during his trip, it is nothing compared to the millions of refugees, many of whom had to drop everything and flee their homes to escape certain death or abuse, mainly in the war ravaged countries of the African continent. Apart from being knocked of his bike he also suffered his own loss as a mysterious fire on the Costa del Sol destroyed everything that he owned and had collected over the years, including furniture and clothes to his prized collection of football programs and football souvenirs, which had been collecting from the age of six.

Not content with completing and surviving ‘Doing the 92’, he’s now having a few days well earned rest and hopefully returning to Torrevieja, albeit possession’-less, for even more networking and to catch up with close friends. What’s next? Steve says “The Big One. I intend to cycle from Spain through Europe and up to Norway to meet Bjørn Heidenstrøm. Then it’s a Trans-Atlantic cruise liner (spinning in their gyms, of course!) before a trip of a lifetime cycling from New York through Mexico, Central America and on to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup finals! This will be a two-year challenge and one which I trust will end with Spain retaining the World Cup! I am already looking for my first 1,000 supporters (@ just one pound) who will follow me (virtually, of course!) during my quest.”

For more information, please visit www.theshirt2010.co.uk, catch him on Facebook and hopefully if we all can do something, no matter how small, in our own lives that might help raise awareness of the refugee problem, then Steve has achieved and succeeded in making a difference.

Thanks to my best IRL friend and professional journalist, Keith Nicol for the article.

Bjørn has been in the news again

The Mega Shirt is now back from South Africa and has been on tour in Norway. This week it has been at Vålerenga, Brann (Bergen), Viking (Stavanger) and Haugesund. On the 17th it is at Odd Grenland. Would you like to see it at YOUR club? Would you like Bjørn to talk to your fans? Just let me know.

Back to the keyboard

It’s been a long time since I have felt inspired to write. I left the UK safely after my last BNI meeting at Vision (Southgate) and have had a few days to chill, relax and look at the world. The journey definitely took more out of me than I thought and some of the news I have received in the past week has kicked me hard too. So, it’s good to feel fresher and motivated and start back on the keyboard. Not to dwell on the negative, I lost all my possessions in a Storage Company blaze in Spain. Sadly they have not come through with the insurance money and they are now telling me to claim against a third party electrical company! I see hassle with a capital “H”. Glad I have great solicitors.

One of the people who has motivated me this week is Vin Cox. I have only just heard of him and he definitely goes into my super-hero list.
He has cycled the entire world this summer and this amazing feat has now officially been ratified by the Guiness Book of Records. He is the new holder of the Guinness World Record for circumnavigating the world by bicycle in 18,225.7 miles through 17 countries in 163 days, 6 hours, 58 minutes! Let’s put this is perspective that’s only 35 days more than I took to cycle around the UK! Respect to him!

Today, my good friends at Round Town News also ran an update. They have been following me since day one and I thank them for their constant support.

The Party’s Over…….as the song goes.

I set out to visit all 92 league grounds in England and Wales …….and I did it! Yes, after 127 days in the saddle when I experienced every emotion under the sun (and rain!) I cycled up to the famous Upton Park home of West Ham United to complete the tour. In the morning, I had got absolutely soaked to the skin doing grounds 90 and 91 which were Leyton Orient and Dagenham & Redbridge respectively and then it was just the short trip to the historic Upton Park ground where I had been promised a media circus. So it was to be: lights, camera, action. I was photographed and videoed from every angle and asked every question possible about the journey. I was presented with a signed pennant from the current West Ham squad and then I was on my way. That was it: done, dusted, hecho and immediately a feeling of emptiness filled me. Fortunately, I had three talks to give in the next 24 hours which gave me something to focus on but it was nevertheless a strange sensation. The London commuter traffic got heavier as I headed for the first of the talks and my mind was soon occupied with avoiding buses, taxis and bikes.

London must now be challenging Amsterdam as the bike capital of Europe and after 10 years away from the UK the sheer volume of bikes on the road and the number of cycle routes, cyclists and cycle shops is quite amazing. I suppose after 127 days and 3780 miles I am now part of the cycling phenomenon that is evident in the UK. I am not a “Mamil” (Middle-Aged Man In Lycra!) which was an acronym I had never heard before a few weeks ago but I must say that I am taken by the sport, hobby, method of transport, insanity or however you consider cycling.

Certainly in the last few days of the tour, I had felt much more confident and was covering more miles, more quickly which is just as well as I had the little matter of 18 clubs to visit in 14 days. I have made many mistakes on the tour and I realise I have a lot to do as far as route-planning is concerned but when all is said and done I achieved what I set out to achieve and whilst I was involved in a near-fatal road accident and lost all my possessions in the storage centre fire I am here to tell the tale. I would not have been able to do this without the incredible support I have received from so many people and I have a few days ahead of me updating and thanking everybody. That’s going to be one of the more pleasurable parts of the journey!

Obviously, I want to thank Round Town News for their great support throughout the last four months. I mean this most sincerely. It’s a great feeling to know that those “back home” are supporting me. Now, I hope I can count on the paper’s and its readers support for the next four years. Why? Well, as wrote in RTN last time, I am already planning the next stage of this project and am looking to ride from the very north of Norway to the very south of the country in 25 days next summer. That’s over 100 kilometres per day through some of the most challenging landscapes in Europe. There is no way I can achieve this without improving my fitness and acquiring a professional bike so after a few days out of the saddle, I will be back in training from this weekend.

Then, it is “The Big One.” I intend to cycle from Spain through Europe and up to Norway to meet Bjørn Heidenstrom who was the man who inspired me to get involved in the whole project. Then it’s a Trans-Atlantic cruise liner (spinning in their gyms, of course!) before a trip of a lifetime cycling from New York through Mexico, Central America and on to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup finals! This will be a two year challenge and one which I trust will end with Spain retaining the World Cup they won in South Africa this summer.

The support of all the Round Town News readers has been hugely appreciated this summer and I trust that I count on your continued support. So, please continue following me on www.theshirt2010.co.uk where I will update all the way through to Brazil.

Keeping the best until last!

It is invidious to say that one or another chapter of BNI was better or best but I definitely need to thank Norma Morris and her team for a GREAT Welcome at Vision BNI (Southgate). Thanks! Most of the members were wearing the shirts of their favourite teams to add colour to my visit. They also presented me with a signed Barnet shirt from their local club courtesy of the Barnet chairman, Tony Kleanthous. Thanks to all involved in sourcing the shirt. Norma has been one of the rocks on which I have built this trip and I was not surprised with the great reception and attention to detail. HUGE THANKS!

So, that’s it. The party’s over (as yet another song goes) and the trip was completed successfully. Well, successfully to the extent that I visited all 92 clubs but it was very frustrating to learn that the total number of refugees actually increased as I was on my journey from some 43 million to an estimated 45 million. One can thus see the enormity of the project. All I can hope is that my efforts in some ways went to help raise awareness for the project. If THAT happened then I can definitely say that my trip was successful. Those who know me well will confirm that I am hugely self-critcial and that I will analyse every aspect of the trip over the next few days.

I cannot thank you enough for following me and without your support this trip would definitely not have been possible. Please do continue to follow the updates on this site and follow me on Twitter and Facebook where you will read about the next stages of this project. Enjoy!

I also heard today that Bjørn’s mega shirt was to be on display at the Vålerenga Brann game on Sunday. Fantastic to see the momentum being continued.

That’s it …… it’s all over

The Photo I have been waiting for

YES! Leyton Orient and Dagenham became clubs 90 and 91 before West Ham United became club 92. After three days of a glorious Indian Summer the heavens absolutely opened and I was soaked to the skin before I got to Orient, a drenched rat by the time I got to Dagenham and as I saw the Upton Park ground I was only vaguely aware that the rain was eventually easing off a little! I think I was enured to it.

I had been in touch with the West Ham PR and Media department during the week and to meet videographer, photographer and be interviewed pitchside was a superb end to the tour. A very professional conclusion and it was great to finish with the club that gave us Sir Geoff Hurst, Sir Bobby Moore and Sir Trevor Brooking. I would also like to thank Leo at Leyton Orient for laying out the red carpet too and making me welcome there too. He knew of Bjørn and his spell at Brisbane Road but I am not sure that Bjørn would recognise the ground. In fact, I think Orient get the vote for the most improved ground. I’ll think on that but I am fairly sure that certainly in the lower divisions only Wycombe could give Orient a run for their money as far as refurbishment goes. Impressive! That said, it’s people who have made the tour and Leo’s welcome was as effusive and genuine as any I have found anywhere.

Proving the point that there is no rest for the wicked, I had to rush from Upton Park to the monthly Ecademy meeting where I gave a short presentation with Penny Power herself. Ecademy have been great supporters of the journey and it felt right (and good) that I should do this presentation immediately after the end of the cycle tour.

Yes, there are so so many people to thank and I can see a busy week ahead just thanking all those that have supported me. THANKS to all who are reading this too.

Postponed by one day….. Yes, the final day was postponed and like a marathon runner told to do one more mile I’m feeling a bit frustrated BUT tomorrow WILL be “the big one”.

A HIGHLIGHT OF THE JOURNEY

Just when I thought I had had all my highlights on this journey, along came the Ecademy BlackStar day at Little Venice, London. Held at the Amadeus Centre just yards from the Regents’ Canal it was superbly organised by Andrew Horder. From 9 in the morning until 7 in the evening it was an opportunity to meet my fellow members of Ecademy. Whilst I had met a few of the attendees before it was great to meet so many that I had only previously “met” in the virtual world. One thing that this tour has taught me is that the virtual world IS great but the real world is still better!

I was privileged to give a 30 minute presentation to the members and although it was the longest I had ever given and it was very off the cuff I was reasonably happy with it. Now, anybody who knows me will be surprised with this statement as I am hyper-critical of my own efforts so I guess it must have been OK. The audience seemed happy with it and that is, of course, all that matters. No, I did not use the latest audio-visual props. No, I did not give flashy hand-outs on USBs or DVDs. Yes, I did talk from the heart and yes I did cover the tour “warts and all”. I thank Judith for offering up her spot so that I could give the main presentation and I particularly thank Andrew Horder for organising an excellent day and I certainly look forward to attending future events.

Yesterday was also an important day internationally as it was “World Peace Day”. This is of course especially relevant to the refugee cause as so many of the world’s 45 million refugees are suffering just because of the lack of peace (to deliberately understate the situations) in many countries. It was therefore particularly poignant that I should be presenting on World Peace Day. It was equally gratfiying to see Ecademists donate some fantastic prizes to a raffle and to see the two excellent auctioneers raise a total of 1500+ GBP. Respect to all who donated the prizes and those who bid so generously.

Morning Has Broken

As Sung by Cat Stevens with lyrics by Eleanor Farjeon

Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for the springing fresh from the word

Sweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God’s recreation of the new day.

No real reason for adding that other than

1) It is a gorgeous day – the sun is shining bright.
2) I got a great night’s sleep with clean sheets, padlcoked lockers, secured bike etc
3) I am in one of my very favourite parts of the world – West London
4) I have only 3 more clubs to do and if push comes to shove I could walk to West Ham, Dagenham and Leyton Orient!
5) I am doing a talk about the tour to Ecademy Black Stars tomorrow and my notes are going well
6)Bjørn is out of danger and just needs rest
7) I am looking forward to seeing friends this weekend. It’s been 4 months
8) There are no lasting problems from my hospitalisation
9) I have a day playing “Johnny Tourist” and have already found a bed for tonight.
10) It’s Monday

What am I trying to say? That every single person who reads this has just so much to be grateful for. I read yesterday that some 2 Billion (sic) people are migrating from the countrysides to the cities. Now, these might not be refugees and they are moving for economic reasons (AKA survival) but this is one third of the world population who do not have access to what we all take for granted.

Sorry, lesson over. Enjoy your day!

Bad news – Bjørn has been in a cycling accident and although nothing life-threatening his ankle is in a bad way. He’ll be off it for a few weeks at last. Awaiting more details but please pop over to www.theshirt2010.net to wish him well.

The fact that my beloved Manchester United beat his beloved Liverpool will not have helped!

Live on www.brooklandsfm.co.uk

Rick Morris at Brooklands FM has been interviewing me most Saturdays throughout the summer by telephone. Today he kindly invited me in to the studio and we did a full overview of the tour. His support has meant a lot to me and I was delighted to get the chance to thank him in person.

Before that it was a dash from Reading via Aldershot. First stop was the magnificent Madjeski Stadium where there was quite a buzz even though Reading were playing away. Why? It was the launch of the new Mini Countryman and members of the Community Trust were there supporting their local dealership who had a good selections of all types of Minis on display at the club reception and where they were attracting many visitors. Phil Griffiths from the club explained that they had been sponsored for more than two years and that it was a very positive relationship.

I left the buzz at the Championship club for a cross country dash to Aldershot. It’s a long time since I had been to the town and I was delighted the ground was so easy to find in the centre where preparations were in place for the derby against Wycombe Wanderers. Sadly, even though Ben had promised me tickets, I was not able to accept them as I had promised Brooklands that I would be with them at the same time. This tour is NOT about me enjoying football but raising awareness so the radio interview had to take priority. Ironic that I was there just before kick-off though!