Four former Carlisle United players – plus their manager – reunited for a special walk in support of “superstar” Joe Thompson.

Michael Raynes, Luke Joyce, Jason Kennedy and Dan Hanford were joined by Keith Curle for a 21-mile walk on Saturday.

The ‘Walk with me for JT’ trek was all in aid of their former Blues team-mate Thompson’s fundraising drive amid his third battle with cancer.

It was also a day to celebrate the immense fighting spirit of their friend, as hundreds of people joined the walk between a number of football grounds in the Greater Manchester area.

Thompson himself was there for the walk, which served as a huge show of love and solidarity.

Former United defender Raynes, who along with his fellow Blues walkers played with Thompson at Carlisle during the 2015/16 season, said it was an enriching experience to share the day with his former colleagues in support of Joe – even if the walk was rigorous.

Raynes joked: “When you look at our group, you had me with no knees, JK with no hips from that time he spent in a wheelchair, Dan Hanford’s not the fittest…it was only Joycey and the gaffer [Curle] that kept us going, I think...

“But it couldn’t have gone any better. Joe managed to do it himself – he’s unbelievable – and the feeling of the day was so positive.

“Elevate and celebrate life – that was JT’s quote, and he certainly did that with the way it was planned and how it went.”

The walk started at Manchester United’s Old Trafford, where Thompson began his career, and continued to Salford City, FC United, Oldham Athletic and Royton before finishing at Rochdale’s Crown Oil Arena, where Thompson enjoyed his most memorable playing days.

“We did get lost on the Oldham to Royton part, which put an extra two-and-a-half miles on our trip,” Raynes said.

“It took us seven hours to do – but that time flew by. It was great to see some old friends.

“If I’m honest, we were just talking about Carlisle – memories of the times of the floods, the play-offs…it was an amazing walk down memory lane.

Thompson made 17 appearances and scored one goal for Carlisle in the 2015/16 seasonThompson made 17 appearances and scored one goal for Carlisle in the 2015/16 season (Image: Barbara Abbott)

“We’ve been in touch over the years but it’s not often you get the opportunity to see each other. We had a really special time in Carlisle, and when you start talking about it, that really hits home.

“We could have been walking for days. The gaffer is 60 but he set the pace and was dragging us all through it. It was amazing to hear some of the stories from his career too.

“With JK’s hips, I thought I was going to have to get him on my back at one point, but he was fine…”

Thompson revealed earlier this year that he was fighting Hodgkin’s Lymphoma for a third time. He is embarking on a £250,000 fundraising bid to support pioneering cancer treatment.

“He was the star of the show,” Raynes added.

“We had a nice chat and some food afterwards, and had a few minutes to catch up. He was on cloud nine with how it all went.

“The organisation of it was fantastic and I hope we helped make quite a bit of money.

“It would have been easy for it to be a day of negative emotions with what Joe is going through, but everything was so positive.

“I spoke to Joe’s wife and she was so positive too – they’re an example, not just for what they’re facing, but how to live your life, how to try and do things the right way, and influence others for the better.”

To donate to Joe Thompson’s fundraising bid, click HERE