Football fans are invited to join former England stars Viv Anderson and Terry Butcher together with Prostate Cancer UK, the Official Charity Partner of The Football League, for an exclusive football focussed chat and a pint later this month.
Butcher and Anderson will be at the Copthorne Hotel, Sheffield, on Wednesday 27 January 2016 to discuss the two most important football events of the year – Euro 2016 and Football to Amsterdam 2016, Prostate Cancer UK's end of season football fundraiser.
The two former England greats are heading to Europe a week before Euro 2016 having signed up to Football to Amsterdam – a two-day, 145-mile cycle challenge. For the fourth year the event will start in London, but there are also two new starting spots for 2016, Ipswich Town FC and Barnsley FC – and there is still time to join the duo in the peloton.
Before their training starts in earnest, Butcher and Anderson will be giving their opinion to BBC sports journalist Damian Johnson in the Steel City, discussing their cycling prowess, the England squad they'd take to Euro 2016 and who needs what in the transfer market with deadline day fast approaching. And you can be there for free by signing up via https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/look-ahead-to-euro-2016-with-terry-butcher-viv-anderson-tickets-20071346939.
Former Arsenal, Barnsley, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday defender, Anderson, 59, joins the Football to Amsterdam peloton for the first time at the inaugural northern leg of the charity ride starting at the home of Barnsley FC, a club Anderson knows very well having both played and managed them.
He said: “When I was invited to do the ride, I thought 145 miles is a long way but I realised with the right bike and a bit of training it was very much achievable. And when I heard Butch was going, and about the cause I was ready to sign for my new team, Men United.
“While 1 in 8 men get prostate cancer, I was shocked to learn 1 in 4 black guys will get the disease in their lifetime. These statistics are unacceptable, and that's why me, Terry and 500 fans are cycling to Amsterdam this summer to beat prostate cancer.”
Butcher, meanwhile, is no stranger to Prostate Cancer UK's Football to Amsterdam cycle challenge having completed the sold-out London to Amsterdam ride in June 2015. Then, he was joined by over 250 football fans from The Football League and across the beautiful game raising over £500,000 to help beat a disease killing one man every hour in the UK. This year Butcher will be at the starting line from Ipswich Town, joining the London riders at the lunch time stop before cycling to Harwich for the overnight ferry to the Hook of Holland.
Terry, 57, added: “I'm looking forward to a great summer – getting fit and cycling to Amsterdam with football fans from across the UK before watching how the home nations get on in Euro 2016. And in Sheffield I'm really looking forward to catching up with Viv, my old roommate from ‘86, and having a good old debate about the state of football these days. It should be a great night.”
By the end of the 2016 cycle challenge Prostate Cancer UK hope to hit the cumulative £1,000,000 mark from their fourth end of season football fundraiser which started in 2013 with around 30 riders, quickly reaching 150 in 2014 before selling out in 2015. This year the ride is set to grow to 500 fans from clubs across the football fraternity.
Fans in Sheffield wishing to meet Terry and Viv, get the low down on Euro 2016, and find out more about Football to Amsterdam 2016 can register for the free event here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/look-ahead-to-euro-2016-with-terry-butcher-viv-anderson-tickets-20071346939
Places for this special event at The Copthorne Hotel are limited, and a light bite will provided shortly before the evening's Capital One Cup semi final shown live on Sky Sports following the football debate with Terry and Viv.
