Feature | Pedal Power for travelling fan on Saturday

Pedal power will be the order of the day for one member of the travelling contingent at the KMM Energy Stadium on Saturday.

Jake Warner is getting on his bike in support of his beloved Chertsey Town this season as he attempts to cycle to all 21 of their Pitching In Southern League Premier South away fixtures.

He’s already ticked off the likes of Dorchester, Wimborne, Taunton and Basingstoke, scene of our victory on Tuesday evening, and now he is preparing for the 100-mile trek to Gloucester.

It’s part of his quest to raise awareness of Crohn’s and Colitis Disease, whilst also raising vital funds for Crohn’s & Colitis UK.

Right now, an estimated 500,000 people in the UK are living with a lifelong disease that many people have never heard of. And the real number could be almost double that.

Because of the stigma and misunderstanding surrounding these diseases, thousands of people are suffering in silence. But they’re not alone.

Crohn’s & Colitis UK are working to improve diagnosis and treatment, and to fund research into a cure; to raise awareness and to give people hope, comfort and confidence to live freer, fuller lives.

“The inspiration for this challenge is that my father suffers from the illness and seeing him constantly inject himself and hearing about how little people know and how little support there is, I felt it was something that had to be spoken about,” he said. “The original plan was to run the London Marathon, but unfortunately I didn’t get a place, but the one night I was watching YouTube and saw a video of the former goalkeeper, Ben Foster, cycling to every Sky Bet Championship ground in London, so I wondered if our League was possible.

“I did the maths – 21 grounds and 1,700 miles – and here we are!

“The challenge is going well so far, there have been some tough moments along the way, which I expected, and as the weather worsens it will make things even more difficult, but I am committed to this and extremely determined.

 “It’s nice seeing what this country has to offer; you don’t notice exactly how pretty it is until you’re out there and I am looking forward to the trip to Gloucester this weekend as it’s a nice part of the world.

“The away day I’m most looking forward to is Walton & Hersham because it’s the closest and Plymouth Parkway is going to be the worst because it’s the furthest! It’s also in the middle of February, so who knows what the weather will be like!?

“In all seriousness, I am looking forward to all of the journeys ahead, some more than others. Weymouth will be nice and a ground that I have never been to but look forward to seeing.”

A supporter since the age of two, he has followed in the footsteps of his dad who has been a passionate fan of Chertsey Town since the 1980s.

“The club is in my blood,” he added. “Dad is a lifelong fan and mum worked behind the bar. Growing up I was a regular at the ground, not only for matches but I also had all of my Birthday parties there!

“I’ve been mascot for the visit of Whitley Bay in the FA Vase, which was a massive game for the club at the time, and I’ve been part of the 6,000+ fans that went to Wembley when we appeared in the FA Vase Final in 2019. To see the club lift the trophy was magnificent.

“My life basically revolves around the club and I’m seeing some positive recent performances under our new manager.

“This is a tough League; most years you can have a rough guess at where each team will be, but this season I have no clue, there are about six or seven teams that could go up and six or seven that could go down, so it really is all to play for.

“As a supporter, you never want to set targets because one way or another you’ll end up disappointed! That being said, there’s no reason why we can’t be competing in the top half of the table.”

Gloucester City AFC would like to wish Jake every success with his challenge. You can give him your support by making a donation, no matter how big or small, via: justgiving.com/page/tourdecurfew