Super fan on marathon mission

Sutherland, pictured, is starting out in Telford on March 5 before completing his final run through Germany's Black Forest on April 2 in the tough Friburg Marathon. In between, he'll be squeezing in eight more runs taking place near in the Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Liverpool and Northampton.

A rail strategy manager and now based in London, the 49-year-old first watched Marine aged ten when they famously knocked Football League Barnsley out of the FA Cup at College Road in 1976.

Now a marathon specialists after completing 188 - 184 in the last three and a half years - Sutherland is hoping his efforts will inspire others and encourage fans to donate on the Just Giving page the Premier Division club is setting up to back him.

He said: “I shall wear my Marine shirt with pride as I take on these real challenges for my favourite football club that I have supported since I was a boy.

"From start to finish I shall be keeping a blog of events on Facebook of my ups and downs covering each one of the marathons from Telford to Germany and I hope that my experiences will inspire others to do something or to get involved in some way to help other charitable and good causes.”

He added: "The sequencing and nature of this marathon schedule is exceptionally tough; it will be a real test for me and at the moment my body hurts from the WW2 Bunker Marathon I ran in Hamburg recently.

"However, I have set my sights on completing that tenth run in Germany on the 2nd April for Marine and I hope that I can provide a level of sponsorship that will help the club to complete their current ground development phase.”

After fans funded the recent completion of a £12,500 new boardroom under their main stand, the proceeds from Sutherland's efforts will help pay for the demolition of one of the old timber buildings to the front of the stadium in order to install new boundary fencing.

In a statement issued on Monday, Mariners chairman Paul Leary happily admitted his own efforts before Christmas in leading supporters on a 14 mile sponsored walk to Skelmersdale Unite doesn't compare with Sutherland's schedule.

The Mariners chairman said: “Paul’s efforts here are almost super human and it makes my walk to Skem at Christmas seem like a stroll in the park.

"Without doubt the schedule that he has put together is fully deserved of sponsorship backing from as many people as possible and I cannot thank Paul enough for what he is undertaking for Marine Football Club."

He added: "On his return to Marine in April he will receive the accolades that he thoroughly deserves.”

Donations to the ground appeal can also be sent to Marine secretary Richard Cross at 74 Elvington Road, Hightown, Liverpool L38 9AN. Cheques should be made payable to Marine FC. Alternatively, donations can be made on line by accessing www.groundappeal.co.uk and clicking on donate.

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