Baggies set for Great Birmingham 10k running challenge
ALBION will be challenging for midlands bragging rights on Sunday as they go head-to-head with local clubs of all sizes in a bid for glory at the Great Birmingham 10k.
The derby of all derbies is set to be contested on Birmingham’s streets – as teams from the region look to get their hands on the inaugural Ding Dong Derby Cup.
All clubs across the midlands have been invited to join Albion, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Walsall and Coventry City in entering teams into the Sunday, May 1 running challenge.
From Premier League outfits to Sunday League sides at grassroots level, clubs of all sizes have entered.
Each team must be at least four-a-side, up to a maximum of eight runners, although there is no limit on how many teams each club can enter.
The four fastest times posted by each team will be accumulated to determine who is the fittest and fastest club in the region – and secure the ultimate derby bragging rights!
The Ding Dong Derby Cup gets its name from the phrase made famous by Free Radio’s Tom Ross in describing local affairs down the years.
West midlands football legend Cyrille Regis MBE, who played for Albion, Coventry, Villa and Wolves, will present the trophy to the winning team.
Cyrille said: “I played for four of the clubs involved and know how competitive they all are. They’ll be desperate to beat their local rivals and get their hands on the Ding Dong Derby Cup!
“But this is a chance for the smaller teams in the region to go head-to-head with the big boys and pip them to the silverware. May the fittest team win. I’ll look forward to presenting them with the trophy.”
More than 7,000 people are expected to take part in the Great Birmingham 10k, which begins and finishes in the city centre.
Four ex-Albion favourites are also taking on the 6.2-mile course challenge, along with Baggies fan Adrian Chiles.
Former goalscoring midfielder Richard Sneekes will pound the streets alongside 1993 promotion hero Ian Hamilton, ex-striker Geoff Horsfield, who helped the club to promotion in 2004 and was part of the Great Escape, and Darren Moore, who as well as the latter two achievements was also part of the 2002 promotion.
Horsfield said: “Albion fans have always been golden to me and I’d love to see as many of them as possible doing the 10k.”
Good luck to everyone taking part on Sunday!