Why the Devil?

Monday, July 06, 2009

As the Devil logo has reappered on some of the club kit it may be time to remind members of the legend that surrounds it. The story goes that a man named Mick Mills, reputably a local smuggler, was approahing his last few hours. The Devil arrived to claim his soul but Mick was not prepared to go without a fight. As most of us will empathize with, Mick was a keen runner, but there, I suspect, the similarities end, for Mick gambled everything with the Devil for a chance to win back his soul. They agreed to race along a straight track through St Leonard’s Forest, with the winner being granted Mick’s soul.
There appears to be some debate over who actually won—something tells me that poor old MIck did not get to keep his soul indefinitely—but either way the fire from the Devil was so severe that nothing has ever grown on the path since. To this day it is known as Mick Mills Race. So be careful who you are challenging the next time you fancy a race!