Marathon man Grillo's got ground force (From Keighley News)

Marathon man raises funds for Silsden return

10:00am Thursday 7th January 2010 in Sport By Sportsdesk

Teacher Rob Grillo is to tackle a marathon a day for ten days to help his beloved Silsden AFC return to their home ground.

The Cobbydalers’ fan is taking on the 268-mile Pennine Way between Edale in Derbyshire and Kirk Yetholm in Scotland from July 27 to raise funds for the proposed move back to Keighley Road.

The North West Counties League outfit have launched a campaign to raise £40,000 to enable them to return to Silsden from their rented home at Keighley’s Cougar Park.

Grillo, who teaches at Belle Vue Girls’ School in Bradford, said: “In recent years, I’ve climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, trekked to Everest Base Camp in the Himalayas and tackled high mountain passes in the Alps, raising money for various charities around the world, but this year I wanted to do something a little closer to home.

“Silsden AFC’s senior team is the first Keighley side ever to play in the football pyramid, and to enter the FA Cup.

“This is due partly to the generosity of Keighley Cougars RLFC, who have allowed them to play at Cougar Park for the past six seasons.

“The club already runs dozens of junior teams from under-eights through to under-17s, who compete in local leagues at the Keighley Road Playing Fields.

“It has now come to the stage that unless Silsden return ‘home’, they will be unable to compete at their current level. They just can’t afford another season at Cougars.”

He intends to run the first three days then take it more slowly armed with a lightweight tent and stove.

Silsden need funds to upgrade their ground to league standards by installing flood-lighting, hard standing for fans and turnstiles.

The Football Foundation has agreed to match half the £80,000 needed to do this.

Grillo – whose published book Anorakophobia includes a chapter on Silsden AFC – has had pledges of sponsorship from friends and colleagues, sportsmen and women, several local musicians and the leader of Bradford Council Kris Hopkins.

People wanting to sponsor him should contact him at rob@robgrillo.co.uk.