Harry Redknapp has been named as the manager for Team British Heart Foundation (BHF) as part of the charity's partnership with the TCS London Marathon.
People will find out today if they have secured a place in this year's ballot, and Redknapp is calling on successful London Marathon applicants to run for the charity.
The former Tottenham Hotspur manager is coming out of retirement to lead the team of over 1,600 runners at the 2022 TCS (Tata Consultancy Services) London Marathon, which takes place on 2 October.
BHF is the Charity of the Year for the TCS London Marathon this year. The charity aims to raise £3m through the partnership, to fund regenerative medicine research which could eradicate heart failure.
Last year's charity partner, Macmillan Cancer Support, raised up to £2m through the event. This is the first year the TCS London Marathon will be sponsoring the event with its new fundraising partner, Enthuse.
Redknapp will be joined by former Olympian Greg Whyte, workout coach Mr Motivator, sleep scientist Dr Sophie Bostock and BHF’s heart health dietician Tracey Parker as part of the support squad.
The former football manager experienced heart failure in 2011 which resulted in him having two stents inserted.
Redknapp said: “About ten years ago, I had chest pains and tests showed I had blocked arteries. Now I’m one of the lucky ones as I got the warning signs, got a diagnosis, and got sorted out with an angioplasty and a couple of stents.
“But not everyone gets that chance. Many people are missing out on years of their life or living with pain and suffering that stops them having a decent quality of life.
“That’s why I’m urging everyone who has been successful in getting a London Marathon ballot place to use it to run for the British Heart Foundation and raise money to help heal hearts. The transfer window might have closed but there’s still space for you on Team BHF. Together we can give hope to hundreds of thousands of people living with incurable heart failure.”
Two years ago Redknapp was featured in a Channel 4 Dispatches programme, where he asked for a fee of £20,000 to endorse a fake environmental charity.
BHF is not paying Redknapp and said that the team manager role is a voluntary position.
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