A GROUP of cycling enthusiasts are embarking on a journey to visit the graves or memorials of Newcastle and Sunderland footballers who were killed in the First World War.

Alan Candlish, Paul Hale and Ron Wilson, Newcastle fans for 40 years who regularly go on cycling trips, decided to follow the course of the Western Front this year.

They plan to start their pilgrimage at the grave of a former Newcastle player Donald Simpson Bell, of Harrogate, who played for Bradford Park Avenue when war broke out.

He served with the Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) and was awarded the VC for his heroic action on July 5, 1916.

The tour will also include visits to the final resting place of Newcastle United players, Dan Dunglinson and Tommy Goodwill, (Northumberland Fusiliers) George Rivers (Durham Light Infantry), Richard McGough (Royal Garrison Artillery) and Tommy Cairns (Royal Field Artillery).

Mr Candlish said they had decided to thank the Sunderland fans for their compassion after two close friends John Alder and Liam Sweeney died on board Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 - by paying a similar tribute to their players.

After research they have found four Sunderland players they could include in their route.

They are Jack Huggins (DLI), Albert Milton (Royal Field Artillery), Leigh Richmond Roose (Royal Fusiliers)and Thomas Sowerby Rowlandson (Yorkshire Regiment).

Mr Candlish said: "We only identified one contemporary Sunderland player who fell – a young up-and-coming reserve forward called Samuel Hartnell who was only 17 when the war broke out and had not graduated into the first team.

"He was 21 when he was killed, a mere three months before the Armistice. His grave is a little off-route but we are still determined to visit it."

The cyclists will place a small wooden poppy cross at each location showing the players’ names, ranks and regiments and the names of the football clubs.