Former Notts players, supporters and staff rode to Pride Park and back to raise funds for the Jimmy and Jack Statue...
Last weekend former Notts players, supporters and staff took on the task in the searing heat to ride to Derby County’s Pride Park Stadium and back to Nottingham to raise funds towards a Jimmy Sirrel and Jack Wheeler statue at Meadow Lane.
49 riders including the likes of Tommy Johnson, Mark Draper, Steve Cherry and Dean Yates each raised sponsorship to bolster the already close to £41,000 fund.
The Derby and Back for Jimmy and Jack bike ride was the brain child of Les Bradd and the event’s main sponsor Paul Lowe, from Paul Lowe Associates.
The link with Derby County Football club is two fold, Jimmy Sirrel after retiring from Notts County at the end of the 1986 season became chief scout for Derby County Football club and the artist that built the Brian Clough and Peter Taylor statue outside Pride Park has dedicated time, resource and ideas to the creation of the Jimmy and Jack statue.
It is hoped that once sponsorship is collected in it will boost the fund by in excess of £5,000.
Bradd told the Official Site: “It was a great day. It was fantastic to see so many of the former players come along and join in. I loved to hear the stories about both Jimmy and Jack, not just from them, but also the supporters that rode along with us.
“Hopefully we’ve raised a few quid too and reach our target and our aim by the end of the new season.”
Fundraising for the statue for two of the club’s greatest legends started 3 years ago. Fans have been incredibly generous and with the exception of significant contributions from the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson the funds raised so far have come through fans donations.
It is hoped that the £75,000 required to commission the statue will be raised by the closing of the 13/14 season.
Academy Manager Mick Leonard summed up his feelings by adding: “It’s great that everyone is together and everyone has made the effort and raised so much between them.
“It shows great solidarity, which is inscribed on the statue at Pride Park, and you need that a football club. I hope now we can finally get the funds together to get our own statue at Meadow Lane.”
To keep up to date on the fund raising total and how to contribute you can visit the Jimmy and Jack website: www.jimmyandjackstatuefund.co.uk
Anyone that would like to make a donation can send a cheque payable to Notts County Football club please write Jimmy and Jack Statue fund on the reverse. Or drop into the club shop or Meadow Lane Sports Bar on matchdays.
Magpie Player subscribers can watch highlights of the ride online by clicking here, meanwhile more photos of the event can be found here on the club’s Facebook Page.
Thank you to the event's key sponsors Paul Lowe Associates, Skills Coaches, BettaBytes Computers and Max One Nutrition.