Sourced from Daily Echo article
Benali’s Big Race, day 7: Howay the Benalis!
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FRANNY Benali was greeted by former Saints teammate Neil Maddison when he completed his tour of the north east today.
The Saints legend was welcomed to Newcastle United by Cancer Research UK staff at lunchtime before beginning the journey south.
Former Sunderland star Kevin Ball, the Black Cats’ former player and development coach, met him at the Stadium of Light.
Then Maddison, who made 169 appearances for Saints before returning to his native north-east to join Middlesbrough in 1997, was reunited with Benali at the Riverside Stadium late this afternoon.
Maddison said: you’ve got to take your hat off to this guy. Franny was always fit, we always called him a lean machine but to do what he’s doing … he’s an inspiration to everybody."
Meanwhile, Franny has lost two members of his support team for three days of his Big Race – so they can do their own challenge for a cancer charity.
Until now, Franny’s children, Luke and Kenzie have been at their dad’s side for every day of his epic challenges for Cancer Research UK.
But they have headed south to do a skydive for The Wessex Haven in Salisbury tomorrow to celebrate the charity’s first anniversary as part of Breast Cancer awareness month.
The Benali siblings have already raised more than £2,500 and you can sponsor them on their justgiving page.
Mum Karen said: “This was planned five months ago, before the Big Race was put back to October.
“Luke and Kenzie are gutted and quite emotional to be leaving but we’re so proud that they’re doing their bit to beat cancer.
“They’re so keen to rejoin Franny that they’ll leave at 3am on Tuesday morning to join us in the east midlands for our 7am start.”
Franny is due to arrive at Hull City at 3.30 pm tomorrow afternoon, a week since departing from AFC Bournemouth - and a week before his scheduled arrival at St Mary’s.
“When we arrive at Hull on Sunday afternoon it will be a huge psychological boost because at that point we will be halfway,” said Karen.
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