Football fans walk 60 miles after TikTok forfeit
Ben Phillips (right) and Stan Davies are walking 60 miles for charity
- Published
Two friends are walking between two Premier League football grounds to raise money for charity after one of them pledged a forfeit on TikTok.
Ben Phillips promised to walk from Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium to St Mary's in Southampton, and back, if AFC Bournemouth failed to reach the FA Cup semi-finals.
He is raising money for Alzheimer's research in memory of his grandfather, a former AFC Bournemouth player, who died from the disease in 2024.
At the start of his two-day challenge on Tuesday, he received phone calls from Cherries players Lewis Cook, Adam Smith and Ryan Christie.
Mr Phillips, who runs a Cherries fan site called Back of the Net, is taking on the 60-mile (96km) challenge with his friend, Stan Davies, from Southampton.
He made the pledge last month, before Bournemouth's FA Cup hopes were brought to an end by Manchester City.
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Speaking on Radio Solent's Dorset Breakfast show at the start of day two, he said: "We really enjoyed it.
"I had a couple of blisters and my legs are aching a little bit but I'm feeling good to go."
Mark McAdam, of Sky Sports, joined the friends for the first three miles and surprised them with the footballers' phone calls.
"He said, 'I've got a call I want you to answer', and it was Lewis Cook, then Adam Smith.
"Ryan Christie called as well, just to wish us good luck."
The pair embarked on their return journey on Wednesday morning.
Mr Phillips has so far raised more than £2,750 for Alzheimer's Research UK, in memory of his grandfather, Ian Davis.
He said: "He used to play for AFC Bournemouth as a striker, albeit in the reserves, back in the day.
"He passed away from Alzheimer's... so I thought it would be fitting to do something like this."
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