FERNANDO Ricksen, the former Rangers defender who lost his six-year battle with Motor Neurone Disease this week, will be in the thoughts of those walking to raise £20,000 to help fight the illness.

Friends and colleagues of ex-Bolton full-back Stephen Darby will be hitting the road next weekend in a continuous 170-mile trek from Bradford City to Liverpool Football Club, via 15 other stadia, including Wanderers.

Among them are ex-Burnden Park heroes Tony Kelly and John McGinlay, who will be plodding at least one mile in each of the 45 stages on the journey – dubbed ‘Steps 4 Stephen’.

Last week Darby, Kelly and McGinlay were invited to Ibrox by Steven Gerrard to meet the squad and help publicise the event – and Ricksen’s consequent passing has added an extra poignancy to their effort.

“When we were up there Darbs (Stephen Darby) spoke about how Fernando Ricksen had inspired him,” Kelly told The Bolton News. “He didn’t complain, he didn’t feel sorry for himself, and we were all thinking of him this week when we heard the news.

“Darbs has been amazing. We didn’t ask to go to Ibrox – it was Steven Gerrard who invited us up there because he wanted to help. We’ve got Huyton connections me and him, and Tom Culshaw, who is on his coaching staff, is my cousin.

“You can see how people all over football respect Darbs and the work he is doing, how highly people think of him. And even though me and McGinlay were giving him a bit of stick about his clothes – the old Burnden Park treatment – we think the world of him.

“All sorts of clubs have donated items and Bolton Wanderers have been terrific, as I knew they would be. Suzanne (Speak) at the hotel has offered us somewhere to stop and freshen up, which is brilliant, and the fans have been so supportive.

“It is a special club and Darbs certainly knows that.”

Darby created the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation after being diagnosed in September 2018, bringing a premature end to his playing career at Bolton.

He teamed up with ex-British serviceman, Chris Rimmer, to help raise awareness, provide support for others and support research.

For Kelly – who has been in training for several weeks with his former team-mate McGinlay – there is also an added personal reason for adding his support.

“Mark Maddox, who I know from Altrincham, is battling MND as is Mark Ward’s sister,” he explained. “Another young lad from Liverpool, Michael London, is in the same boat and his dad, Jimmy, was a massive influence on me, and a great amateur footballer.

“I don’t think MND has had a lot of publicity until recently when people like Darbs have put their heart and sole into things like this. It inspires us all.

“The least me and John can do is walk a few miles and help raise some money.”

Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/steps4stephen