Cancer charity patrons showed Spartans support ahead of Cup win

FA Cup giant killers Blyth Spartans hit the national headlines once again on Friday evening with a magnificent win at League Two side Hartlepool United and they did so with the support of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

The Northumberland club recently established a partnership with the Foundation that sees the charity's logo displayed on the front of the Spartans training kit. That partnership was set up with the support of local law firm Quantum Elite and received widespread media attention.

The win over Hartlepool United was played out in front of two Patrons of the Foundation and they met with Spartans' manager, Tom Wade, before the game for a photo opportunity with the training kit.

Former Newcastle United and England captain Alan Shearer and George Caulkin, a respected football writer with The Times, are longstanding Patrons of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. The cancer charity was set up by Sir Bobby, a man both Alan and George were close to during their careers, to help find more effective ways to detect and treat cancer.

The pair were at Friday's Victoria Park fixture on media duties and took time out to meet with the Spartans' manager before the tie that was shown live on BBC2.

Liz Luff from the Foundation was also in attendance and commented: "We're very proud of our relationship with Blyth Spartans and have received support for many years from Blyth Academy too.

"In fact we were at an Academy fundraising Christmas Fair, along with Spartans' representatives, the day of the big Hartlepool win. That says a lot to me about the commitment of this club both to the local community and to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

"Like everyone else, we're hoping for a big name out of the hat tonight and another cup upset that will keep Spartans' magnificent FA Cup run going."

And so the partnership between Spartans and the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation has flourished and what price that tonight's FA Cup Third Round draw could see the Non-League club head to one of the great man's former clubs.

With West Bromwich Albion, Fulham, Ipswich Town and Newcastle United all amongst Spartans potential opponents there is a fair chance that the partnership could throw up even more tales to tell in the coming months.