Everton have handed their matchworn strips from last Sunday's FA Cup tie over to Carlisle United in a gesture of goodwill to further aid their fundraising efforts.
The club had earlier contributed a total of £5,000 to a charity fund which had been set up by a group of Toffees supporters with the aim of helping the appeal following Storm Desmond and the subsequent flooding that ravaged Brunton Park.
And now the Premier League club have donated the shirts, shorts and socks worn by their players in front of the sell-out 17,000 crowd at the weekend, with the intention of allowing Carlisle to auction them off to further swell the fund.
As of yesterday, the JustGiving page set up by the Everton Fans' Forum had reached a total of £9,197, far surpassing the original target of £7,500.
Simon Clarkson, of Carlisle United Official Supporters' Club, praised the Merseyside club for their efforts to help the community and the club they dumped out of the FA Cup at the weekend.
“This is another fantastic gesture from Everton,”
“Although the result did not go our way everyone at Carlisle is humbled by the altruism shown by Everton Football Club. From the Everton Fans’ Forum who have raised over £9,000 for the Carlisle Community Sports Trust to the club donating kit to raise fund for the flood relief campaign, Everton have shown why they are known as The People’s Club.”
Meanwhile, a 15-year-old from Carlisle has been arrested in connection with claims of racist behaviour during the Everton tie.
The teenager has been released on bail pending further inquiries.
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