The Road to Seville Cycle, where did it begin and who was crazy enough to come up with this ?
The seed was planted at around 09.00 am hrs on Saturday 30th March 2019, when three bampots from the Road to Lisbon got together for a coffee in Ayr Town Centre. It was coffee!
The meeting was to help hydrate ahead of meeting up with some other cycling pals and a young Celtic Cyclist “Malo” from Brittany who had been cycling from Brittany via the Celtic regions to Paradise.
On meeting up on the Saturday morning Big Al and Big Kev after welcoming Mouldy to the coffee shop, asked “Right where are we going next? Milan, Seville?” One suggested Milan and one suggested Seville. I think I suggested the toilet!
Martin would soon join the party and smile about the concept as well. My immediate response at the time was “Oh No, not another crazy cycle”.
Twenty odd miles later the sun is shining, and the chat starts on the bike with Big Al. With feel good factor of having got back on the bike the previous Monday and the sun shining, the ideas and concepts start to come out.
Suddenly the idea of celebrating the Celtic team of that era which reached one quarter final, four semi-finals and two finals was gathering pace unlike my bike at the time. We arrive at Celtic Park, ahead of the match against Glasgow rivals on the Sunday.
Malo brings the Celts some good luck as Celtic won two one at home. By the Tuesday a follow up call took place with Big Al, and we had a concept.
We would start recruiting cyclists for Milan to celebrate the 50th Anniversary in 2020. The project was off and running and after a very long project encompassing similar tasks from Lisbon, spreadsheets, Greenrock, multiple conference calls, a long social media and recruitment campaign over 30 cyclists were recruited.
After plenty of training get together’s with some old pals from Lisbon and some new pals the team were getting in the shape and ready for “The Road to Milan” and the number of folks at the coffee stops where getting bigger.
Due to the COVID pandemic the cycle to Milan had to be cancelled. With varying lockdown restrictions starting to lift. Big Al, Mike and a few others soon got the band back together and there was several domestic “Road to the Borders, Perthshire, Aberdeenshire”.
With all that energy and team camaraderie the concept of “The Road to Seville” was launched In January 2022. This was on the same day that Jota scored in the last minute at Paradise and Ross County were held to a three each draw at home to a team from Glasgow.
In a matter of weeks “The Road to Seville 2023” had with a lot of inspiration from Big Al and aided by some other cohorts, it had fully taken off.
The team comprised of Simpson, Craig and Gemmell, in all seriousness the team was made up off folks from Lisbon, Milan and some new family team members, the team was assembled from Scotland, England, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain.
The team came together with common goal to celebrate the journey which the Celtic team of 2003 took. Making their own pilgrimage to Seville and raising tens of thousands for the Celtic FC Foundation.
After giving up months of family time to train in all weathers, fund the trip themselves, purchasing of new kit and various bike parts.
The team were also on a mission to win the hearts and minds of their family, friends, work colleagues and people they did not know on social media about the work of the foundation, the cycle to Seville.
On Saturday the 6th of May 2023, the team came together at Paradise. Where several of their family members had come along to wish them well. Big Ange joined the team for a few moments along with another Celtic legend, treble winning captain, and club ambassador Thomas Boyd.
Tom would join the team for the arduous first day to Cairnryan leaving the folks in time for them to catch the boat to Belfast.
For reasons explained a few times, Mouldy crazy cycles had a different role to play in relation to doing his best not to get injured again with a repetitive strain injury on social media. Having immense fun throughout the journey, conducting a campaign on social media up to last weekend.
The trip would see hundreds of moments of mainly happy faces as the team made the trek from Scotland to Seville via Ireland. Ahead of their ascent into the wicklow mountains the team would have a chance to stop of in Newry, to admire the recently created statue for Wille Maley
With special moments captured along the way, the most memorable was the team arriving at the fountain and cathedral on the Friday afternoon in scorching heat and brightness of Seville.
On the Saturday, the team would make the leisurely cycle to the Estadio De La Curtja and the first part of the job was done!
With fond memories of Henrik, Jackie and Martin from one evening Seville 20 years previous, new memories where being made.
The next part of the story would see the same team, chap lots of doors, ask lots of friends and do their best to tell the internet about the Celtic Foundation and raise much needed funds along the way.
Some of the team used some intuitive steps as means to raise funds for the foundation, including a very successful raise night, annoying everyone, selling their family erlum’s, auctioning off some framed Celtic Strips all with the common goal of supporting the foundation.
The team assembled at Paradise last Saturday the 16th of September 2023 and as the Maestro would say there was a buzz about the place.
Looking at the broader aspects of “The Road to Seville” what this means to the Celtic family , the Celtic FC foundation, and the cyclists. This was truly awesome.
With those impressive gold strips lighting up three rows of seats at the Southwestern corner. It was truly amazing experience to see grown adults being like giggly teenagers as the team were able to sit together and watch the hoops.
As half time approached, the team were led out of the gate and along the front of Paradise in the glorious sun passing the statues of Brother Walfrid, Big Jock and Jinky.
Soon afterwards the team would congregate in the tunnel close to the corner flag of the Lisbon lions stand patiently waiting for the referees whistle to be blown.
In a perfectly coordinated manoeuvre, the team led by Ross from the foundation was able to make its way past the main stand before pausing at the corner flag.
When team arrived in Seville, we said the first part of the job was done!
Well at half time Kenny and Paulo kindly presented Tony with a cheque to the foundation for a sum of one hundred thousand pounds. Repeat one hundred thousand pounds. Wow!
Moments later the team would conclude the lap of honour round all four sides of the stadium. This was stuff of dreams that you have as a young kid and big kid!
Many of the team had been on a very long journey when you consider the impact of COVID in March 2020 and the events thereafter, all of this was worth it and all the sweeter now for many.
Thank you to the Celtic Family for all their support in helping the Cyclists raise the 100 K and special thanks to the Celtic foundation for hosting the team last weekend.
Awesome! Job Done!
We enclose some special video moments of the Cyclists at Paradise last Saturday.
Watch Part one here & Part two here
Hail Hail
Mouldy goes to Seville
Now that “The Road to Seville” is concluded, with rehab cycles ongoing.
Mouldy will soon be heading of to Seville in the virtual cycle. Please support my cycle by donating at www.justgiving.com/page/mouldygoestoseville
