HEYBRIDGE Swifts fan and club historian Chris Daines might have been singing the Olly Murs hit single ‘Please Don’t Let Me Go’ before he set off on a long walk to raise £2,000 for four charities, writes JON LONGMAN.

Daines had ‘Never Been Better’ for his 14-mile sponsored walk from the Swifts base in Scraley Road to Coggeshall Town’s ground in West Street.

Daines’ trek on the New Year bank holiday coincided with the Isthmian North Division derby clash between the two clubs and the superfan was greeted at the end of his walk by singing superstar Murs.

The West Street welcome from Murs was a most appropriate finish as the 60 year old Daines’ four and a half hour test of stamina meant he was in the ‘Right Place Right Time’ for Swifts' 2-0 away win.

The singer, who has a 50 per cent stake in the Coggeshall club, played one first-team game for the Swifts after scoring plenty of goals for the club’s reserves.

Nicknamed ‘Scraley Sam’, Daines has been supporting Swifts home and away for almost 40 years as a fan who has missed just a handful of games, club treasurer, programme editor and a host of other roles.

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

With his sore feet accusing him of being a ‘Troublemaker’, Daines said: “I now have the blisters to show for it and one decided to burst 48 hours after the walk during a darts match in the Swifts club house.

“I wanted to raise more than £1000 for the Children's Liver Disease Foundation and the rest will be shared between the Maldon Food Bank, the Swifts and the football club’s youth teams.

“I would like to thank all the generous donors who have come from a variety of sources including other local teams.

“My fundraising page is still open at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/scraleysamswalk.”