FOOTBALL heroes from the city's two Premier League clubs have united together to take part in the ultimate marathon football match. 
Everton's Leighton Baines and Liverpool's Jamie Carragher have agreed to be team managers and will pick two teams of supporters that will go head-to-head to break the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous game of five-a-side football.

The game will commence on Saturday March 27 and those playing in it hope to smash the record by achieving 31 hours. 
 The bid was officially launched yesterday at Cafe Sports England on Stanley Street and Baines told the ECHO:

"I think it's a great idea. The lads at Everton told me what it was all about and I was quite keen to get involved. 
 "It's a friendly competition. The most important thing is the charities that will benefit, but it will be competitive."

Carra's 23 Foundation, The Everton Foundation and Radio City's Cash for Kids are set to benefit from the proceedings. 
 Carra added: "We want to raise as much money as possible for the causes. I haven't been involved in anything like this before.

"If we get the world record I think it will be brilliant for the city. To get both Everton and Liverpool involved will be great and it will bring the city together."

Each squad will consist of eight players and hopeful fans wanting to get into the sides must attend a fitness Boot Camp and attend a weekly fitness assessment. 
 Baines added: "The lads will go through training and some trials. Once the lads are picked then they will get in shape. So on that side of it it's going to be taken quite seriously. (Carra and me) will be there for some parts of that and we will manage both teams as well."

The idea originated as Reds fans Shaun Moran and Michael McMillan watched footage of the 1984 Milk Cup final between the city's two sides and saw the unity of both teams as they did a lap of honour at the end. 
 Michael, 26, said:

"We thought it would be a great idea to recreate that spirit so we wanted to have a match with Everton. It'll test you to the limit and it'll be great to get advice from Carra."

Shaun, 27, of city centre, said:

"It'll be great to get the chance to represent your club. I'll be the fittest I've ever been."

Evertonian Andy McNally, 29, said:

"You only get to watch players like Leighton with 40,000 fans. It'll be great to get his one to one advice."

Training sessions commence at Crosby's St Mary's College sports centre on January 17, 24 and 31 at 10 am. There are 16 places available.