Tuesday 26th November, 2024 at 6:36pm
Kevin Sinfield CBE is coming to the Wyre Stadium at Firhill next Wednesday, and you can join him on a lap of the pitch while raising money for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.
England rugby coach Sinfield, who has helped raise millions for MND charities in honour of his former team-mate Rob Burrow, is back on the streets this December as he leads his fundraising team for their fifth annual challenge in support of the motor neurone disease (MND) community with the theme of ‘running home for Christmas’.
Running 50km+ on seven consecutive days across the UK, day four of the challenge on Wednesday 4th December sees him call in to Firhill with Jags fans welcome to cheer him on, join him for one lap of the pitch and help raise more funds for the Foundation.
The event will be especially poignant for many connected with Partick Thistle as our former captain Don McVicar, who captained the club to promotion in 1992, lost his life aged just 43 after a four-year battle with MND.
In tribute to Don, who wore number 3 including during a famous victory at Celtic Park, Thistle fans attending are encouraged to donate a minimum of £3 to My Name’5 Doddie Foundation bucket collectors on the day should they able to afford to.
It all takes place in the Aitken Suite and pitch side with timings as follows:
0930: Aitken Suite opens with teas, coffees and breakfast rolls available to purchase
1030: Kevin Sinfield due to arrive, running up Firhill Road and entering via Colin Weir Stand main entrance; fans are encouraged to line the streets to ensure a warm welcome
1050-55 approx: Following massage treatment, Kevin will meet and engage with Thistle supporters in the Aitken Suite prior to setting off on the next leg of his challenge
1100: Kevin will run on lap of the Firhill pitch, setting off from the old tunnel and running anti-clockwise, before departing Firhill via the same old tunnel and back on to Firhill Road. Supporters are welcome to join him for a £3 minimum donation. All must run around the outside of the pitch and stay off the pitch at all times (even you, Kingsley!)
We are very grateful to McCrea Financial Services who are our first official event supporter and have made a three-figure donation to the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation in keeping with the Don McVicar 3 theme. Any other Thistle partners, sponsors or local businesses wishing to get involved can email Eve Wilson via
Commenting on his new challenge, Sinfield said, “Our visits to Scotland are always very special. Doddie was such an inspiration to us all and he is always on our mind during each challenge. Our running top that day will feature Doddie’s famous tartan, which we are always proud to wear.
“I am pleased to be raising money for MND Scotland and My Name’5 Doddie Foundation once again this year. Given all the connections to MND to the sporting clubs in the city, I think this will be a very special day and I look forward to seeing everyone as we go around Glasgow.” Fans can sponsor Sinfield via: https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/kevin-sinfield-and-teams-fundraising or by texting Kevin10 to 70143 to donate £10. For more details of the entire route for the 2024 challenge visit www.therhinos.co.uk/the-club/sinfield-christmas-2024
To enable the club to keep a tab on numbers, we ask all supporters wishing to attend to register for a free ticket via Fanbase.
Thanks for your support and good luck, Kevin, we all look forward to welcoming you to magical Maryhill.
More information about the 7 in 7 in 7 Challenge:
Sinfield is running in memory of his friend Rob Burrow, who passed away from MND in June this year. This will be Sinfield’s fifth annual challenge for the MND community having raised nearly £10 million in the first four events. However, there will also be significant connections to Glasgow as Sinfield and his team complete the 50km loop around the city.
Starting at Ibrox at 7am, they will remember former Rangers player Fernando Ricksen, who passed away from MND aged 43 in 2019. The route will also stop at the Jimmy Johnstone statue at Celtic Park, the legendary Celtic striker who lost his battle with MND in 2006. The route will also take in Firhill where former Partick Thistle defender Don McVicar will be remembered. He passed away in the same year as Johnstone aged just 43 having played with St Johnstone, Tranmere Rovers, Montrose, Forfar, Airdrie, Ayr United and Elgin City as well as Partick Thistle. Finally, the leg will end at Scotstoun, the home of Rugby Union in the city will invoke memories of the legendary Doddie Weir, who was a great friend and inspiration to Sinfield and Burrow before he passed away in 2022.
This year’s challenge has the tagline of ‘Running home for Christmas’ as the seventh day will end in Sinfield’s home area of Saddleworth.
Sinfield will be raising money for six MND charities including My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and MND Scotland.
The week-long challenge will start on 1st December with Sinfield and the team covering over 50km per day, visiting seven regions across Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Each day will be broken down into 7km blocks, the number 7 as always central to
Sinfield’s challenge in recognition of his friend and former team mate Rob Burrow, who wore the number during his glittering career alongside Sinfield at Leeds Rhinos. The team will aim to complete each 7km within one hour before the next block must start on the hour, meaning the only rest the team will get between each leg is the time spare after they have completed the block.
