Football fanatics Bob Bain and Jock Gardiner will embark on a soccer pilgrimage this summer, taking in 32 football grounds in 32 hours to raise money for a heritage and learning centre celebrating their favourite team.
The pair accompanied by Bob’s son Jonathan (team media co-ordinator) will visit all the grounds in the Lowland and South of Scotland Leagues in less than a day and a half, in an effort to boost the coffers for Aberdeen Football Club’s proposed heritage centre at the club’s new stadium.
The trip follows on from a challenge last year, which saw the duo raise a massive £8,500 for the project while visiting all of the Highland League grounds in 18 hours. Donations for this year’s challenge will be accepted through the AFC Heritage Trust’s JustGiving and is accessible at www.afcheritage.org.
Bob, who has only missed 22 home games in the last 44 years, says, “We were overwhelmed by the support we received last year as we travelled around the Highland League grounds. It was an incredible experience and we knew that we had to top it if we wanted to raise more money for the heritage and learning centre at Aberdeen FC’s new stadium.
“The Lowland and South of Scotland Leagues might not be as well-known as the Highland League, but they are both incredibly important for Scottish football. They’re a fantastic breeding ground for football talent that feed into the Scottish Professional Football League and provide a real sense of community in the south of Scotland. It’s great to be able to celebrate that, while also raising funds for our own beloved Aberdeen FC.”
As an added bonus, Bob and Jock – who have attended thousands of Aberdeen FC matches over the years – also hope to train with the Scotland international squad at the Oriam Sports Performance Centre during their journey after winning the top prize in a Scotland Football Supporters Club quiz at Pittodrie Stadium.
Jock, who began supporting Aberdeen when he lived in the Lake District as a child and travelled up by bus to see the team play, adds, “The chance to step out onto the training pitch with the Scotland squad is a once in a lifetime for fans like us, so to be able to include it in the 32 in 32 challenge is absolutely amazing.”
“As trustees of the AFC Heritage Trust, it’s really important to us to celebrate the history of the club – and of football across Scotland – in order to ensure an important part of the country’s sporting history is not forgotten. With planning permission now secured for the new stadium, we will ensure that the heritage of Pittodrie is properly celebrated at the new centre. On our tour round the grounds, we may be able to also visit a couple of sites where teams who have now disbanded used to play to keep their memories alive.”
Beginning at Kelty Hearts’ New Central Park, the Aberdeen FC die-hards will travel around 500 miles across Scotland – through Fife, the Lothians, the Borders, Dumfriesshire, Ayrshire and Lanarkshire – before finishing the journey 32 hours later at Stirling University’s Forthbank Stadium.
Part of the journey will be sponsored by independent accountancy firm Hall Morrice, of which Bob Bain is managing partner. Transport for the trip has been provided for the second year by Eddie Morrison of Morrison Motors, Turriff.
Follow Bob and Jock’s journey on social media using #AFC32in32. For more information about the AFC Heritage Trust, of which Bob and Jock are charitable trustees, and to donate to the fund, visit www.afcheritage.org
Bob Bain (right) and Jock Gardiner hope to raise thousands of pounds for the proposed Aberdeen Football Club Heritage and Learning Centre