Ex-Ipswich Town star Russell Osman raises more than £2,000 ahead of London Marathon

A former Ipswich Town and England international footballer will be lining up alongside his son for the London Marathon this Sunday, raising more than £2,000 for charity.

Russell Osman, 56, who played for Town between 1976 and 1985, will be raising money for the Sparks charity alongside his son Ben, 24, who plays for Hampton and Richmond, to help fund pioneering research for children’s medical research.

Mr Osman said: “I am feeling as ready as I am going to be. My knees have got one long run left in them.”

Mr Osman chose the charity after regularly competing in their fundraiser golf tournaments, and has currently raised £2,340 for the cause.

He added: “It’s a good charity, and they could do with a bit more money, and research and development isn’t something that is in front of everyone’s eyes.

“When you have kids yourself, you realise how lucky you are, and you see kids with problems and it makes you want to put a little back and help them for the future.”

With support from his former club and pledges from friends to double the total if he completes it in a target time, the committed fundraiser is hopeful of raising even more after the event.

Mr Osman has previously undertaken other treks for charity, including cycling Land’s End to John O’Groats in 2005, and cycling 1,200 miles from Wembley to La Manga in Spain in 2008.

But the weekend’s iconic event will be the first full marathon fundraiser the footballer has attempted.

He added: “I have done the Bristol half marathon before. Cycling is easier on the joints but I always wanted to do a marathon, and year by year it’s getting to the point where its now or never, so I bit the bullet.”

To sponsor Russell and Ben in this year’s London Marathon, visit viginmoneygiving.com and search Russell Osman.