Every West Ham United first-team player has donated a signed shirt to the #PlayersTogether Shirts for Heroes campaign, raising funds for NHS Charities Together.
The initiative was set up by Premier League captains to help NHS staff and key workers on the front line of the fight against COVID-19, with Hammers skipper Mark Noble taking a leading role.
Supporters can buy raffle tickets online here for just £5 each, with all money raised going directly to NHS Charities Together. The raffle is open until 7pm on Sunday 14 June 2020.
In a typically open and honest interview with Henry Winter in The Times, Noble explained how a raffle, rather than an auction, will not only raise more funds, but also give fans of all ages a chance to win a shirt worn by their heroes.
I want a kid that maybe gets £10 pocket money for cleaning his room in lockdown and bids £5 for a shirt and wins it
Mark Noble
“From the moment Covid-19 first came around, the Premier League captains set up a WhatsApp group and started figuring out how we could help,” said the No16.
“We raised a lot of money and we’re going to keep continuing raising a lot of money with this eBay initiative.
“We hope to raise millions. The more money raised, the more people we help.”
Noble knows Rob Hattrell, a West Ham fan who is vice-president at eBay UK, and along with his fellow Premier League captains, organised 500 players to put up a signed shirt each.
“I spoke to Rob on the phone and we came up with the idea really quickly and I put it to the captains,” he explained. “Everyone’s been fantastic, going and putting the idea out to their players in their team groups. I’m really thankful.”
Noble and Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson were keen to make it a raffle rather than an auction so ‘the richest man in the room couldn’t just buy any shirt he wanted’.
“I want a kid that maybe gets £10 pocket money for cleaning his room in lockdown and bids £5 for a shirt and wins it,” he smiled.