3
INTRODUCTION
It started as a relaxed discussion with
friends about my 70th birthday. How
would I mark the year, the day? A family
lunch and a weekend away sounded
perfect, but I was restless to do more. I'm
not overly sentimental but the numbers
kept playing in my head - my 70th/71st
year resonated with another key year in
my football career - winning the double
in 1970/71.
All those who know me will tell you,
football has been my life. Football,my family
and the Willow Foundation. Through our
experiences with our daughter Anna and as life presidents of the charity founded in her
name, Megs and I are only too aware of how serious illness affects all the family. Willow
makes an enormous difference to so many young lives and it’s important to both of us that
it continues to do so in the future.
We've always enjoyed cycling but it was very much a pastime, a pleasant way to spend a
Sunday afternoon - never a serious interest. Combining cycling with football withWillow?
The answer - I'd visit every Premier League club, meet old rivals, relive memories, raise
the profle of the charity and its work and, through sponsorship, raise £250,000 for the
charity.
Two great friends, Steve Cliffen and David Tweddell signed on and what started as an
informal discussion became an 11-day, 528 mile pedal-powered road trip from Fulham
to Newcastle. This book is the story of that trip and the most physical and emotional
challenge of my life.
Through corporate and individual sponsorship the BobWilson Soccer Cycle
raised in excess of £300,000 for the Willow Foundation. Media interest put
the charity onto the national stage resulting in 25,000 new followers on our
social networking sites, 15,000 new hits on our website and a rise in special
day applications.