All 20 Premier League clubs have banded together for the first time to support the Tickets for Troops campaign which provides free match day passes to members of the Armed Forces. Free tickets were offered to some soldiers to all of the November 8 and 9 top flight fixtures to mark Remembrance Weekend.
Matches include Manchester United v Crystal Palace, Sunderland v Everton, Liverpool v Chelsea, Tottenham v Stoke and Swansea v Arsenal.
While Premier League clubs have backed the initiative since Tickets for Troops launched in 2009, this is the first time all jumped on board in support.
John Terry (second left) and Gary Cahill (right) stand with soldiers in support of Tickets for Troops
Premier League clubs held a minute’s silence a week early at the weekend ahead of Remembrance Weekend
This year marks a particularly special landmark with the centenary of the First World War being commemorated.
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said: ‘This is a very significant year in the history of our nation and football has had a prominent part in wartime, whether it was supporters and players volunteering to fight for their country or the famous football matches played in the trenches by soldiers from both sides during the Christmas Truce in 1914.’
Tickets For Troops forms part of the Premier League’s Football Remembers celebrations, which also include an Under 12s Christmas Truce tournament in Ypres, a permanent memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum and other events bringing together football fans to honour the history of 1914. Read more…
