SAFC Poppy Appeal shirts to be auctioned

Sunderland Football Club will once again show their support for the forthcoming Remembrance Day commemorations as the Black Cats take on Leicester City at the Walkers Stadium this weekend.

Sunderland players will sport specially designed match shirts printed with poppies as they pay their respects to service personnel killed in the line of duty.

The exclusive one-off shirts will then be auctioned on the Club's official website, safc.com, via a link up with auction website QXL and all monies raised will be split between the Royal British Legion Fund and the SAFC Foundation, Sunderland AFC's own registered charity.

Sunderland AFC's Marketing and Communications Director, Lesley Callaghan said: "Millions of people wear poppies leading up to Remembrance Day as a small but significant gesture to help us remember the bravery of thousands service men and women.

"As a Club we feel it is important to show our respect and to support the great work of the Royal British Legion.

"We would like to thank local company Washington Badge who have printed the shirts and QXL who are auctioning them, as both companies have kindly donated their services free of charge."

Following Saturday's game, all players in the 20-man Sunderland squad will autograph their genuine match shirt for auction. The auction will be live from Wednesday 17 November and bidding is set to close at 8pm on Friday 26 November. Anyone wishing to bid should log onto the club's official website.

Sunderland also hosted a Poppy Appeal collection at their recent game against Brighton and will be inviting former service personnel and their families to attend a future game at the Stadium of Light.

The Walkers Stadium will play host to a pre-match parade of veterans on Saturday and the match ball is to be dropped into the centre circle of the pitch via RAF helicopter prior to kick off.