York City fan Simon Hood is cycling to every Minstermen game this season to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society (From York Press)

York City fan Simon Hood is cycling to every Minstermen game this season to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society

3:05pm Friday 4th September 2009

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It started, as all great journeys must, with a trip to Crawley.

Living in London at the time, I pedalled down to last season’s opening match at Broadfield Stadium, in the shadow of Gatwick airport.

As is its wont on a lonely cycle trip, my tiny mind wandered, and wondered: ‘What if I did this for a whole season, home and away?’ The sort of thought that ought to be immediately dismissed, so it duly was.

I watched the opening day victory with friends and caught the train back to London full of laughably misplaced confidence for the season ahead and my head empty of the scheme I’d dreamt up on the way down.

But the seed of the idea remained, germinated, and it’s flowered like this: a month into the new season and I’ve cycled to every match so far, picking my way across the country to wherever the fixture list dictates.

I used to watch City as often as I could until I moved away to university.

In the intervening 15 years I’ve managed only sporadic visits to Bootham Crescent as I’ve been living too far away from it.

I’ve been to more away matches, but still only a handful each season. I’d lost contact with the club and the team; I guess this is my way of reconnecting.

Some people have suggested there might be easier means of doing so.

They may well be right, but I’m willing to bet they’d be less fun.

Prematurely broken bike aside, the cycling has been a pleasure so far.

Even the 800-mile Tour of Britain necessitated by the Gateshead switch was a lot simpler than I thought it was going to be.

I was sceptical as to whether I could make it from London in three days, but by riding into the night and aided by a strong southerly wind I arrived in Newcastle a couple of hours before kick off.

A similarly gutsy performance in adversity by the players rewarded me with an unlikely three points to celebrate on the ride home.

Given that Martin Foyle inherited comfortably the worst side I have ever seen ‘perform’ in City colours, the way his rebuilt side has started the season is encouraging.

Clearing out most of last year’s woefully inadequate team was a promising start; one which has been backed up with some signings of genuine quality.

Ferrell is an excellent, tireless addition to the midfield, just the sort of combative player we’ve been lacking.

Alex Lawless looks a class act who rarely misplaces a pass and always seems to think when he’s on the ball.

The seemingly interminable pursuit of Michael Gash, coupled with his price tag, has led to unrealistic expectations in some quarters.

He looks to have a good touch, links play well and draws others into the game.

That his surname affords a seamless update of the in-no-way-puerile ‘We all love Boyes’ chant, without diluting its childishness, is just an added bonus.

I’m neither optimist nor apologist when it comes to watching York, but I think that the occasional erratic performance such as the extremely fortunate draw at Hayes & Yeading can be put down to early season lack of familiarity.

I felt that I’d put more effort into the match at Church Road than the players, but on the evidence of the first seven games that disjointed display looks like being a blip, rather than the norm it would have been under Colin Walker.

The new players are starting to gel well with the good ones retained from last year, looking match fit and sharp.

Histon were clinically, emphatically dismantled by neat, crisp passing and real attacking verve.

More of the same today and I’ll be pedalling over the Dales towards Barrow in a buoyant mood.

The Cumbrian jaunt would have been a relatively straightforward there-and-back trip, but for a friend’s kind gesture. I’m raising money for The Alzheimer’s Society throughout my quest, and my friend has organised for me to meet Sir Tom Finney, whose wife suffered from Alzheimer’s towards the end of her life.

It is an incredible opportunity to meet a man who, to use an overused and consequently devalued word, truly is a legend of the game.

To do so, I merely have to be in Preston for 2pm the day after the Barrow match.

Looks like I’ll be strapping on the lights and pedalling into the night again.

Links Simon’s website http://www.bicyclekicks.co.uk Prematurely broken bike http://www.bicyclekicks.co.uk/news/bicycle-kicks-5-a-side-football-tournament The Alzheimer’s Society http://www.justgiving.com/bicyclekicks/