Marcus Stewart has urged fans to sign up for Huddersfield Town’s Walk for Pounds fundraiser to aid the fight against Motor Neurone Disease.

This year’s Miles for Marcus walk will raise money for the MND charity, the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation.

Former Town striker Marcus, who was diagnosed with the condition in September 2022, will be there on the day.

There will be two walks – one of 18 miles and the other four miles – and they take place on Saturday September 30, the day another of Marcus’s former clubs, Ipswich Town, come to the John Smith’s Stadium.

Marcus said: “I’m looking forward to the walk which is not just for me but everyone with MND. There’s no catch, just raise as much money as possible. And whoever you are, just come up and say hello.”

Marcus, who said he was feeling fine, doesn’t plan on going to the match afterwards. Instead, he’ll be cheering on his sons Kian and Fin who play for Huddersfield RUFC and have a game at Lockwood Park the same afternoon.

Marcus Stewart chats to another former Town player, Tom Cowan, at the Match for Heroes charity game in Golcar in 2022. Pic by: SEAN DOYLE

Walk for Pounds is sponsored by law firm Chadwick Lawrence and the 18-mile walk takes in Huddersfield landmarks such as Castle Hill and will include refreshments at Lockwood Park.

For the first time, Huddersfield Town has also organised a four-mile accessible walk starting and finishing at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Both routes will end in a lap of honour around the pitch prior to kick off for the Ipswich game.

Marcus, one of Town all-time greats, also played for Bristol Rovers, Sunderland, Bristol City, Yeovil Town and Exeter City. He is currently head of player development at Yeovil Town.

Marcus and his family have been campaigning tirelessly over the last year to help the fight against MND, and all proceeds will go to the Darby Rimmer Foundation.

Town club ambassador Andy Booth said: “We’re really proud to be able to arrange an event for Stewy. Ever since we heard of his devastating diagnosis the club wanted to do something special.

“Stewy has been a big part of Huddersfield Town ever since he signed from Bristol Rovers in 1996 and, for me, he is the best player to have played for the club in the last 50 years, and one of my biggest regrets was that I never got the chance to play alongside him.

“This is a special event and hopefully we can get as many Huddersfield Town and Ipswich Town fans as we can taking part to help support a fantastic cause but also to show our support to Marcus and his family in what will be their toughest battle.

“We’ve included a shorter walk that will be accessible for wheelchairs and prams to try and be as inclusive as possible.

“We want to show our collective appreciation of a truly special person during the lap of honour before the Ipswich game.”

Peter Harling, of Chadwick Lawrence, added: “Marcus Stewart was one of the finest players to have played for Huddersfield Town in my lifetime, and I was really sad to hear of the devastating news that he had been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.

“The awareness that people like the late great Doddie Weir, Rob Burrow, Kevin Sinfield, Marcus and the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation have created for the MND community is extraordinary.

“Health and wellness is at the core of everything we do at Chadwick Lawrence so we were extremely proud, honoured and only too pleased to be asked to support such a worthwhile cause and help play our part in creating further awareness to find a cure for MND.

“I would encourage as many of you as possible to dust down your walking boots and support Marcus and the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation by walking Miles for Marcus.”

Registration for the walk is now open with the longer walk – which requires a £25 registration fee and a minimum of £100 sponsorship – starting around 7am.

The shorter walk has a £15 registration fee with a minimum of £30 in sponsorship and starts around 11am.

To sign up, click here to fill in the registration form.