EASTER 2016.

Good Friday and Jeff Stelling, vice president of Hartlepool United, is five days into his epic challenge to walk from Victoria Park to Wembley Stadium.

It’s ten marathons in ten days. Energy is sapped, feet tired.

Come 4.50pm he and his walkers are boosted as news lands that Pools have beat AFC Wimbledon.

Easter Sunday and Jeff Stelling is seven days into his walk in aid of prostate cancer.

The weather isn’t what it should be, it’s rained and the remnants of of a hurricane have dampened the mood.

And he arrives for a pit stop in Leicestershire he’s greeted by the Pools squad who have stopped off en route to Orient to catch up with their number one fan. The last stretch of the day flies by as a result.

Easter Monday and Jeff Stelling is in the final stages of his adventure.

There’s two full days to go. Pools are 3-1 up at Orient. Aches and pains disappear as Billy Paynter and Nathan Thomas run riot.

Easter 2017 and Pools are in a similar mess. Stelling’s feet aren’t. Not yet anyway, he’s still got that to come.

When he embarks on his latest epic adventure – his third after last year’s ten marathons in ten days and previously climbing Mount Kilmanjaro in aid of the Finlay Cooper Fund – he hopes and prays Pools are still a Football League club.

Pools are at Orient again on Easter Monday. Nothing less than a win will do.

“If Easter Monday at Orient is as good this year as it was last year then I won’t mind one bit!’’ he quipped.

“It was when we were on the walk and we are going along and I’ve got my Sky Sports Score Centre on and looking for goals coming through and that was one of the great moments and great days.

“Nathan Thomas tore them apart – more of the same please.

“The same weekend last year we beat Wimbledon on Good Friday, a big boost.

“That result was fantastic and then to see the boys, at a time when we were deep into the walk, gave us a lift. Our spirits were OK, but we got a big uplift to see Craig (Hignett) and Billy Paynter and the boys.

“And I didn’t have a clue, I really didn’t.

“Then, of course, the players went to Orient and won and now we need more than to just win at Orient this time around.

“On the face of it, we have decent fixtures. We have to have that belief.’’

STELLING was joined all the way last year by then Pools’ chief executive Russ Green.

This time around, Green can’t commit to do as much as Stelling walks from St James’ Park in Exeter to St James’ Park in Newcastle over 15 days. June 2 to June 15.

He will, however, be joined by a pack of fund raisers, walkers, celebrities, footballers, football managers and more.

Last year the march raised £420,000, and helped get the problem of prostate cancer on the agenda of millions of people across the UK.

Same again this time, and more.

“Last year was more than enough for me, but I foolishly allowed myself to go to a meeting with the Prostate Cancer UK people again….they are very persuasive!’’ said Stelling.

“Last year was a bigger success than I ever imagined it could be. The primary aim was the raise awareness, it was never to raise so much money, but it did.

“It captured the imagination and my only concern this time is doing the same thing again, but we are going across the other side of the country this time, working our way up and then across to the North-East.

“And it’s 15 walks in 15 days and St James’ Park to St James’ Park which is a bit of hook.

“The support so far is great and we will try and get that message out there en-route.

“We have a lot of walkers, a lot of celebrities joining us, a lot of politicians, ex-players too. And it’s in June so we hopefully avoid the storms and hurricanes after last year, when we caught the back end of one and we had three or four hours of brutal conditions.

“But it cleared up and we got on with it.’’

Stelling, Hartlepool born and bred, can’t wait to get home. His incentive is to get back to the North-East and the region.

By the time he arrives in Hartlepool, he will only have one more day to go.

The penultimate stretch is from Darlington to Middlesbrough and onto Hartlepool.

Seaton Carew will never have appeared more appealing.

“I’m looking forward to a June day and walking along Blackpool and dipping those sore feet in the sea,’’ he said.

“And then, of course, there’s Seaton Carew and the North Sea – that’s something to look forward to.

“Ending in the North-East will be great – it will be like walking home, a great incentive in itself and I know the people of the region are so supportive and appreciative of it all.

“John Carver was a big supporter last year and his golf club (Close House) made a big contribution.

“The North-East is a generous area, with big hearts and walking home will be an inspiration all the way.’’

Last year’s walk captured the imagination. From setting off at Victoria Park accompanied by Ray Wilkins, Alastair Campbell and Craig Hignett to finishing at Wembley Stadium, Stelling and Green were accompanied by a welter of personalities.

As well as the celebrities and familiar faces, including those who appear with Stelling on our television screens on Soccer Saturday, there was the local heroes.

Fundraisers, walkers, those affected by prostate cancer. Inspriational each and every one of them.

Stelling added: “Last year we were joined by a lot of celebrities and the support we got from managers, players, ex-managers, ex-players was brilliant and that’s right from the first leg from Hartlepool.

“We had Higgy on leg one right down to the last leg with Dennis Wise, Dean Smith, Gareth Ainsworth and it was the same all the way along, so many people.

“Ian Botham turned up without warning to join in, Derek Redmond, Malky Mackay, the support was fantastic.

“And we need the public’s support too – a clap and a shout goes a long way.’’

He raised £420,000 last year. Ten thousand steps is the equivalent of five miles.

After walking 260 miles, he made around 520,000 steps. At 80p a step, Stelling and Co certainly proved value for money.

“It’s very hard physiologically,’’ he admitted. “The company who organised the route, they arrange hikes all over the world and offer lots of advice.

“Keep it going day by day, just day by day and eventually your body will adjust. I wondered who they were kidding.

“Then about day six, somewhere in the middle, I got out of bed and felt OK. It was still hard, but for the first five days I felt I would never do it.

“Day six onwards and I felt I could do it – a change in psyche. So now I know it’s going to be hard, but I look forward to the day when my body accepts it.’’

You can join Stelling and Co on the walk.

The North-East legs are on Wednesday, June 14 (Harrogate to Bedale), Thursday, June 15 (Darlington to Hartlepool via Middlesbrough) and Friday, June 16 (Durham Riverside to the Stadium of Light and onto St James’ Park). Each day starts around 8am and involves around ten hours walking.

To sign up there’s a £25 registration fee and walkers must raise at least £300 for prostate cancer.