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Club News

EFL REMEMBERS

1 November 2016

Club News

EFL REMEMBERS

1 November 2016

Commemorations at Mansfield game

The EFL and all 72 member clubs will unite to pay tribute to fallen servicemen, women and former players as part of Remembrance Sunday commemorations and the First World War centenary.   

Sky Bet League One and League Two clubs will honour those who lost their lives at war over the weekend of November 12-13.

The 24 Sky Bet Championship teams will pay their respects the following weekend on Saturday, November 19 to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme, which ended 100 years earlier on November 18 1916.

Across all of the 72 member clubs between November 12-19, there will be a minute’s silence and an EFL wreath laid on the pitch prior to kick-off to remember and honour all of those who have fallen in battle.  

Shirts and balls from this year’s Remembrance fixtures will be auctioned to help support the fantastic work the British Legion does by supporting members of the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, veterans and their families all year round.

In addition, Sky Bet and individual clubs will supply the British Legion with an allocation of tickets for all EFL fixtures across the three divisions, to be donated to current and retired service personnel.

EFL communications director Mark Rowan said: “Every single one of our clubs lost players, staff and supporters, so it is only right and appropriate that we pay a tribute.

“Football is all about community and the EFL’s clubs, fans and staff will all stand in silence together to pay our respects this November.”

Sky Bet spokesman Sandro Di Michele added: “We’re delighted to be continuing our relationship with the Royal British Legion into a third season after raising a terrific amount of money last year.”

Fought over 141 days between July 1 and November 18 1916, the Battle of the Somme was one of the defining battles of the First World War.

With more than 400,000 British casualties and more than one million men of all nationalities killed, the Somme remains one of the most brutal individual battles ever fought.

Having launched the #FootballRemembers campaign in March 2014 at the start of the First World War centenary to mark the contribution made by the game, football continues to pay its respects to those who made the ultimate sacrifice 100 years ago. 

Sadly, many players, staff and fans of EFL clubs were killed at the Somme, 1,000 whom fought for the Footballers Batallions, which included many of the great stars of the day and some of those who would go on to achieve great footballing feats in the post-war era.

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