Pools chief reveals what's inspiring him to complete 260-mile walk with Jeff Stelling

But for Russ Green, there is great motivation in the hundreds of thousands of steps in the Men United March.

The Hartlepool United chief executive had no hesitation in joining TV favourite Jeff Stelling on the charity trek from Victoria Park to Wembley Stadium.

Yesterday the team took on Luton, Hertfordshire, Watford alongside Paul Merson, Bianca Westwood, Max Rushden, Tony Cottee, Malky Mackay.

Jeff is the inspiration and leader of the Men United March, which now hopes to raise £300,000 for Prostate Cancer UK and raise awareness of a disease which kills thousands of men.

Russ told the Mail that two men were in his thoughts on the marathon walk – former Pools commercial manager and comedian Frank Baggs and long-time Pools fan Chris Phillips, who died earlier this month.

“It’s poignant for me,” he said.

“One of my mentors and a man I looked up to was Frankie Baggs. I only probably only knew him for 12 months, but he was a Poolie icon, a fantastic guy, I learned so much from him. We lost him to prostate cancer, but he remained so dignified right to the end.

“Recently we lost Chris.

“They were both Poolie legends in their own way.

“Everyone loved Chris, we brought him down from the hospice to be our guest for the Northampton game.

“They have been in my thoughts before the walk even started.

“But they are just two, how many Poolies have lost their lives in between?

“We’ll do it for them all.”

When Jeff, the honorary Pools president, rang Russ to say he was doing the walk, he asked him to join in on the first leg from Hartlepool to Marske.

However, Russ was quick to say: “The first leg? I’ll walk all of it!” He added: “He’s a top man, totally inspired me. I think when we’ve felt a bit down we’ve lifted each other.”