From Blackburn to Bolton in 62 miles

As I waved a cheery goodbye to Premier Inn Preston Central the prospect of a long day two loomed large. The journey to Blackburn was uneventful. Blackburn were one of the clubs who failed miserably to respond to my request for a pitchside photograph so we had to make do with a photo of the statue of Sir Jack Walker(the first man to buy the Premier League title)

From the heights of the Premier League we arrived at Accr

ington Stanley. The contrast in both facilities and the warmth of the welcome were stark to say the least. Stanley went out of the league in 1962 for failure to pay the gas bill and took over 60 years to regain its league status. The kettle was on as soon as we arrived and the people there were so friendly. We were given a guided tour which took not very long and we were shown the dressing rooms which make Chorleywood House and the pavilion look luxurious. Breeze block not painted for some time and four showers for the players use. As you enter the pitch their equivalent to the 'This is Anfield' motto is 'Stanley the club that refused to die' The capacity of the ground is 4,500 and their average attendance is 1,800. The guy who showed me round was not slow in reminding me that on their re-admission to the league they turned over the twice European Champions Nottingham Forest 1-0 in the Carling Cup. Boy we had some dark days under Colin Calderwood!
They would have been happy for us to stay all day but we had to make tracks.

On to Burnley where we were escorted pitchside at the same time as the press were there to interview Kieran Trippier who had just joined Burnley on a seasons loan from Man City. A quick bite of lunch and we were off again.

The only thing to be said for Rochdale is that the journey there from Burnley has a 4.7 mile climb to the summit of some hill or other. When you think you are there so appears another hill. When you are just as high as the wind farms you know then it must be time to descend. The descent is well worth it. I was really chuffed to trip the 30 mile per hour speed limit sign as my speed through there was 34.7 mph.

I was going so quick that I almost missed Bury but the brakes were working well enough to grab a quick photo of the outside of the ground and to move on to the last call of the day - Bolton.

Bolton to their credit had emailed to say that they were more than happy to meet us and to take us pitch side to record our visit there. As we were greeted in reception of the magnificent Reebok Stadium and taken through to the pitch we happened upon the Bolton FC chairman Phil Gartside. He took time out of his day to join us pitchside for a chat and some photographs. He is a real gentleman and explained that he is coming to terms with Bolton's change of style under Owen Coyle. He says that he still envisages Kevin Davies with his elbow in the neck of many Premier League centre-backs! I am sure he will be proved right.

So it was a really fantastic end to a very tiring but very contrasting yet rewarding day.

This whole project is really firing now but it would not be possible without the support of my family particularly my wife Stephanie and my Partners at Turbervilles who have generously found not only the time for me to have additional time away from the business celebrate my 50th birthday this way but have supported me in very real terms by funding the cost of the accomodation on the trip.

My grateful thanks to you all.

So on to tomorrow and the first call at, in the words of Stuart Hall, the Peoples Republic of Wigan. It will have to go some to top today.

For those in the least bit interested the total distance covered so far is 119 miles. I have a feeling that the legs will remind of that in the morning!