Former Celtic striker John Hartson has helped raise £10,000 for charity by joining a team of walkers on a gruelling hike in memory of a Parkhead stalwart.
Cancer survivor Hartson walked part of the West Highland Way with five others, including Marie Milne’s son.
Marie was a receptionist at Celtic Park and became a great friend of Hartson and many of the other players, answering their fan mail and even babysitting for Hartson’s children.
But she died in 2019, aged just 59, from the debilitating lung condition COPD – which is why Hartson backed the fundraiser for Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland.
The charity is important to Hartson as his sister Hayley, 47, died suddenly of a heart attack.
The former Wales international couldn’t join the walkers when they set off on May 1 due to broadcasting commitments with Sky.
Instead, the 47-year-old waved off Marie’s son Chris Mullen and his pals, before joining them for the final 18-mile leg from Kinlochleven to Fort William.
Hartson said: “We all talked so much on that last day about Marie.
"She’d be as proud of them as I am.
"They are heroes. They’re immense, an inspiration.
“I’ll be honest, I’d have found it really tough to do it all – these lads are a lot younger than me, and they were out on their feet, but somehow they kept going.”
Hartson described the final day’s walk as “one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life”.
Chris, 34, said: “Every day was tough physically and mentally.
"I’m glad it’s over but I’m glad we did it.
"The total for CHSS is the icing on the cake.”
Jane-Claire Judson, chief executive at Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland, said: “Their amazing efforts will help make sure that people living with COPD in Scotland get the help and support they need.”
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