Francis Benali arrived at Anfield yesterday afternoon to a warm Scouse welcome – and a hug from Liverpool star Adam Lallana.
The former Southampton player visited both the Reds’ home and Everton’s Goodison Park as part of a mammoth fundraising challenge for Cancer Research UK – and paused to pay tribute to the 96 football fans who lost their lives at Hillsborough including his cousin, Andrew Sefton, aged 23, who was among those who died.
Benali, 47, is on day five of his epic road race – running and cycling to all 44 Premier League and Championship grounds in just two weeks in a bid to raise £1million for the charity.
To complete the ‘Benali’s Big Race’ challenge, the former Southampton FC player will cover at least 100 miles a day – running one marathon and cycling the remaining distance every day.
The challenge started at Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium on Sunday 2 October and will finish at St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton – where he spent more than 20 years of his career – on Sunday 16 October.
After visiting Liverpool’s ground he was joined by his cousin Donna McDermott Benali, 55, from Halewood Village, who grew up spending her holidays and many weekends with Francis, to run across Stanley Park to the home of Everton where he was joined on the edge of the pitch by family and supporters who had turned out to cheer him on
Benali left Merseyside by bike and is heading to Wigan before finishing today’s 100 miles in Preston later this evening.
This is Francis’ second fundraising feat in aid of Cancer Research UK. His first challenge in 2014 – running from Newcastle to Southampton via every Premier League club in just three weeks – raised a phenomenal £265,000 for the charity.
He said: “I am so pleased to be here. It’s been tough and I am finding it difficult in so many ways – I have problems with my hamstrings and my feet, with lots of blisters, but I’ve got my family and a great support team around me which is keeping me going.
“My dad’s side of the family are here in Liverpool so it’s been great to see my cousins and other relatives turn out and show their support. Seeing Adam Lallana here to greet me as I arrived at Anfield was just brilliant – a real lift.”
Talking about the reasons for his challenge and his determination to raise money for Cancer Research UK, he added: “Last year, my father-in-law Bill was diagnosed with prostate cancer so I’m even more determined to raise as much money as possible to help conquer this devastating disease.
“I’m hoping to top my previous fundraising total with all the money raised going towards Cancer Research UK’s work into immunotherapy across the UK.”