Footballers past and present helped to launch a Black Country fundraiser’s latest challenge.

Albion defender Jonas Olsson and former Albion wing half Tony ‘Bomber’ Brown were among the players backing ‘Blind’ Dave Heeley, aged 52, at Birmingham Council House yesterday.

They were joined by Villa defender Carlos Cuéllar, former Villa and Birmingham City player Bobby Thomson and former Birmingham City player Malcolm Page.

Father-of-three Mr Heeley, from West Bromwich, is planning to run 10 marathons and cycle more than 800 miles in his Top2Toe Epic Fundraiser over ten days to raise £100,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

“It means so much to have everyone here today,” he said.

Brown said: “Dave is an absolutely fantastic character. The things he does for charity are unbelievable. I hope everyone can get behind him.”