Sport

The Hardest Geezer is back at it again as he begins his run to Germany for Euro 2024

'Back on the einser und zweier.'

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 12th June 2024

Just two months after completing the entire length of Africa, Russ Cook a.k.a. ‘Hardest Geezer’ is back out on the road once again and has set himself the challenge of running all the way to Germany for Euro 2024.

Does this guy ever just have a sit-down?

The 27-year-old fundraising athlete from Worthing in West Sussex has barely had any time off since becoming the first person to run the entire length of Africa over the course of 352 days, even chucking in a casual London Marathon just a fortnight after achieving the incredible feat.

Now, though, the Hardest Geezer grind is back underway as Cook set off from Wembley at 3:30pm on Tuesday, 11 June and intends to make it all the way to the Veltins Arena in Germany for England’s opening game against Serbia on Sunday.

Jumping back on social media to track the entire challenge just as he did for the last 12 months, the inspiring endurance runner is hoping to follow the Three Lions across the country in an effort to support them and raise money for charity throughout the Euros.

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Set to run from city to city for each fixture, his journey – at the very least – will see him travel from England’s opener in Gelsenkirchen to the Waldstadion in Frankfurt for the second game against Denmark, before moving on to FC Koln’s RheinEnergieStadion for the Slovenia match on 25 June.

However, should Gareth Southgate’s side make it through the group stages (you better believe they will), Russ is prepared to follow the boys throughout the tournament and is welcoming others to come and join him for the multiple legs in what he admits is “a race against the clock”.

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He’s also already joked that he’d be willing to sort what’s for tea if someone can sort him a bed when he makes his first stop in Harwich on Wednesday evening.

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Having worn classic England shirts on numerous occasions throughout the course of his run across the African continent, seeing him wearing Three Lions on the shirt will be a familiar sight, having also been sponsored by retro replica kit manufacturer Score Draw to keep the national team colours on show.

The best part about all of this other than us getting to tune into the Hardest Geezer’s journey every day is that he is once again raising money for The Running Charity, the same non-profit he raised over £1 million through Project Africa.

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The organisation supports young people who are homeless or have complex needs and Cook is also choosing to donate his sponsorship fees from both Score Draw and fellow retailer Sports Direct directly to the cause. What a legend.

We’re now more hopeful than ever that England make it all the way to the final; what a story it would be, especially if he can provide some added motivation and national spirit, as well as raise even more money for a vital cause along the way. It’s coming home – just not before big Russ gets to Germany.

Russ Cook, a.k.a. ‘Hardest Geezer’, is spurring on an entirely new generation of runners
The Hardest Geezer has smashed Africa and is now putting in the hard yards for Euro 2024 in Germany – a true inspiration.

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Featured Images — Hardest Geezer (via Instagram)/Raimond Spekking (via Wikimedia Commons)

Sport

Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027

Lydia Mastrolonardo Lydia Mastrolonardo

Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.

Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.

And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.

This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.

Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.

BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.

Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned. 

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To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.

Get tickets when they go live here.

Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)

Sport

Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Crowd at football match

Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.

It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.

“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.

He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.

“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”

The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.

Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)

The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.

Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”

However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.

“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.

The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.

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The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.

No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.

Featured Image – Pexels

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