Fans can make a play for Grecians' special edition Poppy shirts

THOUSANDS of Exeter City supporters will have a chance to help boost the Poppy Fund today thanks to a unique effort by the club.

For the first time in football, players' shirts will be embossed with the red poppy.

The Remembrance Day emblem has been printed into the fabric that makes up the white stripes of the Grecians' kit.

Paul Morrish, the club's commercial director, said: "It is the first time we have done this and I think it is probably the first time for any football club.

"We are very proud and pleased to be able to do it for such a great cause and we are pretty sure our supporters will back us all the way.

"They are a great bunch and even after Tuesday's disappointing match result, they stayed with us to the end and backed us as strongly as ever. We are very fortunate."

Mr Morrish said the idea of the Poppy shirt came from SHO, the official kit supplier of the club, who had been particularly impressed by the match between Exeter and the Royal Marines which raised thousands for the Help the Heroes campaign.

Carol Arnold, community fundraiser for the Royal British Legion in Devon, said: "We are absolutely delighted that Exeter City are doing this. It is a wonderful gesture and I am sure the players will also be very proud to wear the shirt.

"The club lets us go round with collection buckets on match day and ATC cadets will be doing that.

"We are looking forward to working with the club in the future."

The one-off special edition shirt is for the match against Chester City.

Afterwards, each player will sign their shirt from the game and fans will have the chance to put in bids to win any particular shirt. The club have produced one for every first team squad member. There are three ways fans can place a bid on a shirt — but when bidding they must indicate the name of the player. Bids can be emailed, with name, address and telephone number to gary.moore@exetercityfc.co.uk.

Text bids, with name, address and telephone number can be made to 07717 398 102, or enter by phone by calling Gary Moore on 07717 398 102.

Bidders will be notified when they have been outbid on a shirt and regular updates will be released on the club's website.

Bidding closes at 11am on November 11, Remembrance Day.

It is not the first time the club has produced a special shirt for auction. It did so for the Wembley play-off final against Cambridge last season. That raised £2,435 for the club's coffers.