2024 Accrington Stanley big shirt giveaway returned for eighth year with almost 10,000 shirts handed out

Accrington Stanley's extremely popular big shirt giveaway headed back to the Wham Stadium on September 24 for the eighth consecutive year with the club now having handed out nearly 10,000 shirts to local youngsters.

 Players from the Accrington Stanley first team squad handed out replica shirts as well as goodie bags, to excited Year Three students from 41 local schools, at the Wham Stadium.

Children had the opportunity to visit the ground, meet players and staff, as well as receiving their free Accrington Stanley football shirt, featuring shirt sponsors Wham, Accrington Stanley Community Trust and Sundown Solutions. 

 Through Accrington Stanley's partner for the event, #AmazingAccrington, all pupils visiting the ground also received a goody bag, collated by Official Accrington Stanley Supporters Trust volunteers, with various other goodies donated by local businesses and club sponsors, with great thanks to What More UK, Accrington Stanley Community Trust, North Lancs Training Group, Sundown Solutions, Refresco, Sawley Fine Arts, Clayton Park Bakery, Spar, and Burnley College. Additionally, all the schools attending had a full professional class picture on the day, taken by Scott Dawson Advertising inside the Eric Whalley iMEP sponsored Family Stand.

 Contribution towards the cost of coaches to transport all the schools was provided by Cllrs Loraine Cox and Peter Britcliffe from their Lancashire County Council Champions grants, plus Haworth's Financial Services, Frasers Group and Oswaldtwistle Mills.

 With the support of schools and businesses across Hyndburn, this programme has now given away almost 10,000 Accrington Stanley shirts and goodie bags; the event is designed to encourage youngsters in the borough to take an interest in sport, get involved in sport, and feel connected to their local professional League Two club. 

 Warren Eastham, commercial director of Accrington Stanley FC, said: "The shirt giveaway is certainly the best thing we can do as a club. It's fantastic to see local children come here enjoying the Wham Stadium, and getting a feel for a real professional football club.

"This event means that over the last few years, we've given out over 10,000 shirts. It'll be great to see the kids back here cheering on the Reds as soon as possible!"

 John Doolan, Accrington Stanley manager, added: "This is a fantastic initiative that's been going on now for eight years.

"It's fantastic for the kids, and the community. You've got 41 primary schools that come along and you see over 1,200 kids, it's brilliant.

"The players give the shirts away to the kids, then they go around and get their picture taken.The smile that puts on their faces!"

 Eddy O'Brien, CEO of iMEP (International Music Event Production), said: "As brand new sponsors of the Eric Whalley Family Stand, we are delighted to be involved in the big shirt giveaway for the first time.

"We have admired this initiative from afar for some time and as a local business we can't thank Andy Holt and Accrington Stanley enough for how much this means to the community."

 Murray Dawson, MD of Scott Dawson Advertising who organise the event and logistics, said: "This is a very large project to get 1239 primary school children to the ground on one day, but we want them to experience the Wham Stadium.

"It's a key part of our support with them to channel and arrange the day."