A GUIDE dog is to be named after Jimmy Hill.
The idea comes from the Coventry City Former Players Association.
It is seeking to raise £5,000 to fund training for a guide dog puppy – which will become the guide of a blind or partially sighted Coventry resident.
Former Players Association chairman Jim Brown told The Observer: “We decided to contact the Guide Dogs for the Blind as we had strong ties with Jimmy and thought it would be a good partnership to have.
“The charity needs £5,000 before a puppy can be named.
“I’ve been down to the breeding centre with Ronnie Farmer and Dietmar Bruck – who both played under Jimmy Hill – to see what goes on at the centre (breeding centre at Bishop’s Tachbrook near Leamington) and we were all very impressed.”
The initiative follows permission from Jimmy Hill’s family to name a dog after the legendary Coventry City player, manager and chairman, and BBC broadcaster.
At Saturday’s home game against Peterborough, fans donated hundreds of pounds to the cause while three guide dogs were paraded around the perimeter of the pitch during the half-time Legends Day ceremony.
A JustGiving page has been started by the CCFPA while proceeds from Saturday’s Legends Day and the charity Golf Day in June will also be donated to the cause.
Jim added: “We had a collection on the Former Players Association coach down to Wembley and we’ve made a donation of our own too.
“At the moment we’re well on the way to raising the cash required and fans can continue to donate money online.
“Once the money is raised a puppy will be picked, it will be named Jimmy Hill and then spend weeks in the Breeding Centre before being trained and allocated to a fully or partially blind resident of Coventry.”
Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/JimmyHillPuppyFund to support the fundraising campaign.
