TOP footballing talent have made a series of surprise charity shop drops across the country to donate their signed sports kit for fans to find - encouraging others to give pre-loved sportswear a second life and highlighting the importance of keeping kit in play.

The secret drops mark the start of Green Football’s Great Save, the world’s biggest climate-football campaign, which brings together the football community - fans, players, clubs, leagues, grassroots teams and schools - to take action to tackle climate change and protect the future of the game.

This year is all about keeping sports kit in play for longer by donating, selling, reusing or upcycling - helping to reduce waste, save money, and support communities who may lack access to kit.

The surprise signed kit drop offs include:

●Ethan Ampadu’s first Leeds United captain shirt in Ripon

●Jamie Carragher’s England shirt in Liverpool

●Demi Stokes’ Newcastle United kit in Newcastle

●Ben Mee’s Brentford shirt in London

●Kris Boyd’s Kilmarnock shirt in Glasgo

●Juan Mata’s shirt in Sydney, Australia

Peter Crouch, Joe Cole, Josie Green, Luke Southwood, Emma Ilijoski, Joleon Lescott, Funso Ojo, Alexei Rojas, Duncan Watmore and David Wheeler have also made secret drops.

Ethan Ampadu of Leeds United said: “I’m donating the first shirt I wore after becoming Leeds United captain. It’s very special to me because it is a real honour to lead this club, and the pride I felt walking out at Elland Road in the first game of the season is something I’ll never forget.

“I’m donating such an important shirt because it’s an important campaign - one that will help make sure future generations can enjoy playing football like I have.

“Every year, a huge amount of sports kit gets thrown away, when it could be reused, repurposed, or passed on to someone who needs it. If each of us does something small to cut waste and give our sportswear a second life, we can make a big difference”.

Newcastle United Women’s Demi Stokes added: “When I was younger, my mum paid for my football kit in monthly instalments, and we made sure it lasted for years.

“That experience taught me two things - how valuable and important it is to have access to good kit and why it's important to keep reusing it.

“That’s why I’ve donated some Newcastle kit and trainers - I love the idea that instead of sitting unused, it can now help someone else stay in the game, while also reducing waste”.

During the campaign, fans can join their sporting heroes and win prizes by donating their old kit to charity, including official charity partner, The Salvation Army, which has dedicated shop drop off points and a kit postal service so fans can donate from the comfort of their own home. Supporters can also keep kit out of landfill by selling pre-loved sportswear on eBay, another Green Football partner.

And from 20th March, fans will have the added opportunity of snapping up celebrity-owned sports kit in an exclusive eBay auction, together with limited edition Raeburn Green Football KIT:BAGs upcycled from used football shirts. Many clubs will also be hosting Green Football donation bins during the campaign.

Every year, an estimated 100,000 tonnes of sportswear ends up in UK landfills¹ - the equivalent to 951 football shirts every minute2. Landfills produce large amounts of methane - one of the most toxic greenhouse gases - which fuels climate change. Keeping kit in play for just nine more months could reduce its carbon, water, and waste footprint by up to 30%.

Climate change is threatening the future of football, with the FA estimating that 120,000 grassroots games are already cancelled every year due to pitch flooding. By 2050, one in four English football clubs can expect partial or total stadium flooding each year⁴.

Sarah Jacobs, Green Football Director, said: “Football has an unequalled power to drive change, and it’s incredible to see so many clubs, fans, grassroots teams and players coming together to help save kit from landfill. Whether it’s donating a shirt or finding a new purpose for old kit, every action contributes to reducing waste, promoting sustainability in football and helping to protect the game we love.

“There’s a huge opportunity for the footballing community to lead the way in sport when it comes to kit. None of us are perfect, but by being on the journey together, we can make a real difference.”

More than 100 clubs across the UK and in Australia are set to take part in Green Football’s Great Save; encouraging fans to take action, showcasing their own sustainability work, holding Green Football matches and hosting special kit activations, including on-site repair services, sewing lessons with players and upholstering hospitality boxes with old shirts.

Thousands of schools will be holding special Green Football lessons, and County FAs will be supporting their 18,000 grassroots clubs to participate in reselling, resharing and donating pre-loved kit and footwear.

By taking part in Green Football’s Great Save, fans can win prizes including a year’s free Sky Sports and match tickets. They can also score goals for their club in the Green Football Cup, where fans help their team climb up the leaderboard by taking green pledges and actions, such as travelling greener, eating more veg and saving energy.

For more information on all the activities and how to get involved click below

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