Ian Williams and Glenn Randall collectively raised around £10,000 for campaign group Justice 4 the 21.

Justice has been a long and arduous battle for the Birmingham pub bombings activists, but a loyal network of volunteers supported them every step of the way. Among them are football heroes Ian Williams and Glenn Randall, who are no strangers to long drives.

The pair raised a whopping £10,000 for the Justice 4 the 21 campaign through their sponsored marches, covering the whole country over the years. Between them, they have traveled thousands of miles, harvesting vital discoveries as J421 fights heavy legal battles for “truth, justice and accountability” over what happened on the evening of November 21, 1974 .

Although not from Birmingham, both men demonstrated an unwavering determination to support the city’s fight for justice. To mark the 50th anniversary of the tragedy, they will take another walk through the city, ending at the site of the bombings, to lay a wreath and pay their respects.

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Ian Williams first met Julie Hambleton in 2017. She was giving a talk at St Anne’s Irish Club to raise awareness of the Birmingham pub bombings and the death of her beloved sister Maxine.

Knowing very little about the tragedy, Ian – a Leeds fan from Preston – was moved to tears by what he heard. “Julie told us what happened to Maxine,” he said.

“It was a room with about 50 footballers, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. I knew straight away I wanted to help. I tried to get my team, Leeds United, involved, but they weren’t really interested.

“What follows Christmas I spoke to Julie and told her about my idea of ​​walking from Preston to Birminghamraising money for the Justice 4 for 21 group. I raised around £2,000. »

Glenn Randall, a Tottenham Hotspur fan from London, also felt compelled to help. “When we met, I could see the passion and determination in Julie’s eyes, and it brought me to tears,” he said. “When I found out the group was self-funded, I knew I had to do something.”

Ian and Glenn completed two walks to help raise money to fight for a public inquiry. On their first march, from Birmingham to London, they delivered a letter on behalf of the J421 families to Boris Johnson at 10 Downing Street.

Their second march saw them walk from Birmingham to Belfast via Liverpool, where they were greeted with a civic reception at Belfast City Hall, attended by relatives of families who lost loved ones during the Troubles.

“When people think of football fans, they naturally think of hooligans,” says Ian Williams, “but most of us are normal, down-to-earth people. It’s just something we care about. heart.

“What Julie and families like hers have gone through breaks my heart.”

On November 21, the pair will carry out a 10km walk through the city, starting at the plaque to the 21 victims at St Andrew’s and ending at the former site of the Mulberry Bush, one of the pubs attacked by the IRA fifty years ago. Before the march, Glenn pledged to continue fighting for justice on behalf of the J421 group.

He said: “Birmingham is the second city, and its residents deserve a public inquiry. We must continue until justice is done.”