ACADEMY FOOTBALL

FEATURES.

FIT: BOXY, OVERSIZED. DROP SHOULDER. FITTED, RIB NECKLINE.

WEIGHT: 310GSM [HEAVYWEIGHT]

FABRIC: 100% ORGANIC COTTON.

LABELS: OUR SIZE & CARE LABELS ARE BIO-DEGRADABLE. OUR SWING TAGS ARE MADE FROM BAMBOO.

THREAD: 100% ORGANIC 4 WAY STRETCH COTTON.

DYE: WE DON'T USE HARMFUL DYE.

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WHY?

A 6 YEAR OLD PLAYS FOOTBALL FOR FUN.

BUT THEN YOU SIGN FOR AN ACADEMY AND IT TAKES OVER YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.

THREE NIGHTS A WEEK, INTENSE TRAINING STRAIGHT AFTER A FULL DAY AT SCHOOL.

GETTING HOME LATE.
NO TIME FOR HOMEWORK.
ADRENALINE PUMPING SO YOU CAN'T SLEEP.

YOU WAKE UP EXHAUSTED. YOUR BODY HASN’T RECOVERED. YOUR MIND IS FOGGY.

YOU SIT IN CLASS TRYING TO FOCUS, BUT YOU CAN’T.
TEACHERS THINK YOU DON’T CARE.
FRIENDS THINK YOU'RE DUMB.

SO YOU LEAN INTO THE ONE PLACE YOU’RE PRAISED. THE ONLY PLACE YOU FEEL VALUED.

AT 9 YEARS OLD, YOU’RE SIGNING LEGALLY BINDING CONTRACTS YOU CAN BARELY READ.
AT 12, YOU’RE MISSING 2 FULL DAYS OF SCHOOL, JUST TO TRAIN.
BY 15, YOU’VE MISSED MONTHS OF EDUCATION BEFORE GCSE YEAR EVEN BEGINS.

NO TIME TO RECOVER.
NO TIME TO SWITCH OFF.
NO TIME TO JUST BE A CHILD.

AT 16, YOU LEAVE SCHOOL COMPLETELY - PROMISED THAT IF YOU SACRIFICE EVERYTHING, IT WILL BE WORTH IT. CONSTANTLY REMINDED "KIDS WOULD GIVE THEIR RIGHT ARM TO BE IN YOUR POSITION". SO YOU ABSORD THE BUCKLING PRESSURE, BECAUSE: IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, YOU CAN "F*CK OFF AND WORK IN MCDONALDS" RIGHT JOHN?

YOU CUT OFF "DISTRACTIONS".
FRIENDS FADE AWAY.
RELATIONSHIPS DON’T EXIST.
THERE IS NO BACKUP PLAN. YOU CAN'T AFFORD A “WHAT IF”.

YOU SACRIFICE YOUR CHILDHOOD FOR A DREAM - A LIE YOU'VE BEEN TOLD BY GROWN MEN PROFITING FROM THE DECEIT.

THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN 99.998% OF YOU DON’T MAKE IT.

WHERE DO YOU GO? WHAT DO YOU DO?
NO SAFETY NET.
NO QUALIFICATIONS.
NO PATHWAY.
NO SUPPORT.

THE CLUB MOVES ON TO THE NEXT 7-YEAR-OLD.

BUT YOU'RE LEFT FEELING DISCARDED.
ASHAMED. ALONE.
LIKE A FAILURE. A LOSER.
LIKE EVERYONE WHO DOUBTED YOU WAS RIGHT.

THIS T-SHIRT EXISTS BECAUSE TOO MANY YOUNG FOOTBALLERS HAVE SUFFERED IN SILENCE.

BECAUSE WE BELIEVE EVERY CHILD SHOULD BE ABLE TO CHASE THEIR DREAM, WITHOUT THE FALLOUT COSTING THEM THEIR LIFE.

WE'RE FIGHTING TO PROTECT THE NEXT GENERATION, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO SUFFER LIKE WE DID.

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HOW IS IT SUSTAINABLE?

OUR GARMENTS ARE MADE ENTIRELY FROM 100% ORGANIC COTTON.

ALL FABRIC IS SHIPPED FROM OUR MILLS TO OUR FACTORY, VIA ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

CAREFUL PRACTICES ENSURE EVERY STEP IS TAKEN TO MAINTAIN OUR CARBON NEUTRAL GOAL.

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PROFITS FROM THIS T-SHIRT GO TOWARD:

• SUPPORTING WHISTLEBLOWERS AND PROTECTING THOSE BRAVE ENOUGH TO SPEAK OUT [IN ANY SPORT].

• MAKING FILMS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON ISSUES PREVIOUSLY HIDDEN BY POWERFUL ORGANISATIONS; SHINING A LIGHT ON TOPICS LONG LEFT UNSPOKEN.

• CHALLENGING INSTITUTIONS TO CHANGE, TO DO MORE & TO CREATE NEW SYSTEMS THAT SAFEGUARD AND PROTECT THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST.

• HIRING LAWYERS WHERE NECESSARY AND PETITIONING MPS TO DRIVE LAW REFORM.

• ENSURING REAL, MEASURABLE CHANGE IS MADE BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO FIGHT THE NEXT INJUSTICE IN ANOTHER SPORT.