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Big Coat Day is Back

RESOLVE TO HELP THE HOMELESS ON BIG COAT DAY

Make a New Year’s resolution now - to bring unwanted big coats to our game on January 1st.

We’re running Big Coat Day again and we’re appealing to supporters to bring along old coats, hats, scarves and gloves.

They will be collected outside the ground by the Salvation Army and the Boaz Trust, who will then hand them out to the homeless and destitute in Manchester.

Last time we ran Big Coat Day, in 2006, supporters generously donated 300 sacks of warm clothing to help those most in need during the cold winter months.

Now we’re hoping that, at our New Year’s Day game v Ossett Town, we can beat that total - inspired by the time the phrase "Big Coat Day" passed into FC terminology.

FC’s general manager, Andy Walsh, said: "It was a warm, mostly dry summer’s day in July 2005 when we played against AFC Wimbledon, having just got FC off the ground. A TV crew came along to cover the game and interviewed fans beforehand.

"When asked whether we’d be as keen to watch FC in the depths of winter, one of our supporters replied that he’d just get a big coat.

"It was a great response and the remark went down so well because we all recognised the exact sentiment behind it, but now it has come to represent even more, with supporters doing something for those in Manchester who need our help.

"Please bring along whatever warm clothing you can spare - it will be put to good use."

In addition, the New Year’s Day fixture will be thrown open to all staff at the city’s co-operatives, together with members of the Co-operative Group and Party. Each can apply for one free adult ticket and one free U18s ticket for that game.

We have a close association with the Co-operativesUK after being recognised in its 2009 Excellence Awards for "Promotion of Co-operative Values and Principles".

We hope this association will result in new supporters attending our games, and Co-operative stores or offices wishing to put up a free stall around the stadium, advertise in the match programme or contribute in any other way to the success of the day’s events should contact sponsorship@fc-utd.uk

The invitation to help with Big Coat Day has also been extended to the co-operative groups. See you there.

FC United v Ossett Town, January 1st 2010, kick off 3pm.


First Posted ~ 13:46 Wed 18 Nov 2009
News ID ~ 2548
Last Updated ~ 01:52 Tue 16 Feb 2021