20260425 Mouldy Goes To Milan Session MGM 005

Celtic V Leeds, European Cup Semi Final – Record Attendance 136,505 fans attended Hampden Park

Folks,

Thank you for visiting the site where we aim to provide regular updates of the challenge Mouldy Goes to Milan

Background:

I’m Paul Muldoon, a proud member of our Global Celtic Family and a lifelong supporter. I am very proud of the incredible work done by Celtic FC Foundation. Cycling has always been a passion of mine, and over the past 18 years, I’ve combined that love with fundraising for causes close to our hearts.

In 2017, I cycled all the way to Lisbon to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Lisbon Lions, helping to raise £74,000 – A journey that will stay with me forever.

In 2020, plans were in place for another epic ride from Celtic Park to Milan to mark the 50th anniversary of our team reaching the European Cup Final. Sadly, COVID-19 forced us to cancel that challenge.

Fast forward to 2023: my friends completed a fantastic cycle to Seville, raising an incredible £100,000 for the Foundation. Due to chronic back and nerve pain, I couldn’t join them on the road at the time, but I did my part virtually—replicating the route on my smart trainer at home and contributing to the fundraising effort and the amazing memories

What are we trying to achieve:

I’ll be cycling 1,050 miles and climbing 123,909 feet—virtually—from Glasgow to Milan. It won’t be fast, but I’ll get there. Every pedal stroke will be dedicated to raising much-needed funds for Celtic FC Foundation, whose work in tackling poverty, promoting health, and supporting equality is something I’m deeply proud of.

Who

Celtic FC Foundation – Paradise Recovery Cafe

Celtic FC Foundation is proud to announce that all funds raised through our cycling challenges and fundraising events will be ring-fenced to help sustain and grow the Paradise Recovery Café initiative.

The Paradise Recovery Café is a vital programme dedicated to supporting individuals on their journey of recovery from substance abuse, mental health challenges, trauma, and homelessness. Operating on a weekly basis, the café provides a safe and welcoming environment for approximately 30 adults each week, offering:

• Peer support and guidance
• Pathways into recovery communities
• A warm meal and a sense of belonging

This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to creating meaningful change and supporting some of the most vulnerable members of our community. Every mile cycled and every pound donated will directly contribute to sustaining this life-changing programme.

Why:

In recent years, chronic back and neck pain slowly became a constant part of my life. It didn’t just affect my body — it chipped away at my confidence and my motivation to take on the kind of endurance challenges I once loved. Gradually, intense exercise faded into the background, and my energy was poured instead into family life, work, and following Celtic.

Back in 2017, around the time of the Lisbon cycle, I was reasonably fit at about 14 stone. But with ongoing health struggles and very limited exercise, things began to slide. Almost without noticing, the weight crept on, and by December I had ballooned to around 300 pounds. With that came frustration, self‑doubt, and the feeling that I was drifting further away from the person I used to recognise.

This challenge is about far more than a bike ride. It’s about drawing a line and taking something back — my health, my confidence, and my sense of purpose. It’s a chance to rebuild both physically and mentally, to prove to myself that setbacks don’t define the ending of the story, and that it’s never too late to start pedalling forward again.

Now, after years of health challenges and progression, it’s time to finish what I started. Mouldy Goes to Milan is officially underway!

How:

During Mouldy Goes To Seville sessions I had explained how we would simulate the cycle, you can read about it here

Where are we just now:

We kicked this project off in December with a clear goal: to support The Paradise Recovery Café and raise £40,000 for a cause that changes lives. What began as an idea quickly turned into action, driven by the belief that recovery, community, and hope deserve real backing.

Over recent months, a huge amount of energy has gone into helping set up a Race Night at Celtic Park — an incredible night that raised £8,620 towards the project. The generosity, support, and shared belief in what we’re trying to achieve has been genuinely humbling.

Now it’s about keeping that momentum alive. The next step is pushing on, finding new ways to raise additional funds, and taking the project forward through an online auction. At present we have seven items going for £1430 please take a look and if interested please get in touch

Every contribution, big or small, keeps the wheels turning and brings us closer to the goal. I’ll keep posting updates and sharing details of any new ideas and initiatives as the journey goes on, so everyone can follow along and be part of it.

Todays cycle:

Lanark Loch

Having not been on a bike since August 2025, last Saturday it was genuinely amazing just to get back on and get started again. Sometimes the biggest win is simply beating procrastination.

Today’s ride began near Kirkfieldbank in Lanarkshire, following the the River Clyde, eventually delivering us into the edge of Lanark Loch

The session clocked in at 2.62 miles with 600 feet of climbing, with the direction of travel very much heading south‑east, there had been some tasty plus 20 % climbs with average at 9 %

Today’s cycle was another slightly bumpy one, featuring a long climb. Due to a few uncomfortable niggles, I took a safety‑first approach and brought the ride to an early finish. With some rest, we’ll hopefully be able to pick this up again soon.

Whilst the miles cycled and time spent on the bike are a far cry from the 100–125 miles a day, or 10–12 hours in the saddle, that I once rode, everything is relative. These efforts currently are in context of chronic back, neck, and nerve pain, along with a supersized 300‑lb frame that has seen very limited exercise over the past 21 months.

Having seen the incredible highs of Lisbon and lows of impacted fitness and health in recent years, I am sincerley motivated by days like today on the journey back and to Milan

Because of that, I would encourage anyone who is thinking about trying some exercise to start small. Try ten minutes, see how you feel, and then try again three days later. When I was at my darkest point with injuries after 2021, and frankly scared to do anything at all, this was how my amazing physio, Brian Scott, helped me break through the mental torture and fear of physical relapse.

The route was a little different from our memories of 2017, when our cycle from Celtic Park to Lisbon had taken us straight through Larkhall’s main street before following the A74, today I headed through Lanark

Mouldy Goes To Milan – Session MGM 005

I’ve shared a few screenshots from the Strava and Rouvy apps showing the route and session details.

Overall progress

Sessions	Miles cycled	Feet Climbed	Minutes on bike
05	24.93	3789	159.50

The above sessions, miles, feet climbed and minutes relate to the “actual” progress being made by Mouldy as he goes to Milan this is done by replicating and following the GPX route

Today’s kit

Focusing on comfort and the fact that I am a big frame, tight lycra is currently not my friend.

Therefore I decided to wear something more comfortable from the Celtic shirt collection and plan to do so for the foreseeable future

I wore the apple green long sleeve training top by Adidas from season 2025 2026

The montage below is now completed, set against the pleasing backdrop of the short- and long‑sleeve Road to Milan cycling kits, originally designed for the 2020 ride to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Final.

Donate:

You can support this journey by donating at:

👉https://www.justgiving.com/page/mouldygoestomilan

Alternatively by scanning the QR code below

Your contribution, no matter the amount, will help us continue supporting individuals on their recovery journey and will make a meaningful difference to the work of the Foundation.

Thank you once again for your kindness and generosity.

Previous blogs

Along the way, we’ve put together a series of blogs covering the current Mouldy Goes To Milan Journey — you can find them all here.Previous blogs here

If you have some more time on your hands then we also enclose details of the amazing journey from Celtic Park to Seville — you can find them all here.Previous blogs here

Gallery