Premier League referees to cycle between all 20 clubs in nine days

Martin Atkinson and Jon Moss will ride 1,000 miles in just nine days to visit all 20 Premier League clubs in England and Wales

Two Premier League referees will embark on the 1,000 mile challenge to cycle between all 20 top division clubs in the space of nine days.

While the professional cyclists are battling for the yellow jersey at the Tour de France, Jon Moss and Martin Atkinson will be pedalling the length and breadth of England and Wales a host of football stadiums.

Starting in Watford on July 12, the pair set off on their Whistle Stop Tour with the aim of raising £50,000 for the Jane Tomlinson Appeal and the Yorkshire Young Achievers Foundation.

>>> Visit the Whistle Stop Tour fundraising page

Moss said: “This is a major challenge and we are looking forward to it with some excitement and some trepidation. We really will be seeing the Premier League clubs from a different perspective and we look forward to meeting both club personnel and fans along the way.

"Our chosen charities are both relatively small but we have seen their work at first hand and what a tremendous job they do and that is why we wanted to raise funds for them.”

Atkinson has recently returned from officiating at Euro 2016, where he was the man in the middle for three games, including the Home Nations clash between Northern Ireland and Wales.

The full itinerary

Tuesday 12 July: Watford, Spurs, Arsenal, West Ham, Chelsea and Crystal Palace

Wednesday 13 July: Southampton and AFC Bournemouth

Thursday 14 July: Cycle from Gillingham to Aberdale

Friday 15 July: Swansea

Saturday 16 July: West Bromwich Albion and Leicester City

Sunday 17 July: Stoke City, Everton and Liverpool

Monday 18 July: Manchester United, Manchester City and Burnley

Tuesday 19 July: Hull City

Wednesday 20 July: Middlesbrough and Sunderland

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Stuart Clarke is a News Associates trained journalist who has worked for the likes of the British Olympic Associate, British Rowing and the England and Wales Cricket Board, and of course Cycling Weekly. His work at Cycling Weekly has focused upon professional racing, following the World Tour races and its characters.