Despite the result, our home game against Liverpool in the FA Cup was a hugely successful day of awareness surrounding our No More Red initiative.
Partnering with adidas, No More Red aims to help keep young people safe from knife crime and youth violence by providing safe spaces to play sport, access to role models and more opportunities for young people.
The afternoon marked the first time Arsenal had worn a white shirt for a home fixture since we moved to north London in 1913 – it was the third consecutive season donning the symbolic top following away games at Nottingham Forest and Oxford United, also both in the FA Cup third round.
On the day, there was a pre-match presentation to 20 families from Love And Loss, a London-based charity supporting parents bereaved through knife crime.
Jack Ironside, Arsenal in the Community’s Social Inclusion Manager, appeared on the matchday Breakdown Live show alongside No More Red participants Kai and Sanchez. There was of course a bespoke matchday programme, full of NMR content including an eye-catching black and white wraparound cover.
Representatives from the ten No More Red Charity Partners were guests of the club, while seven mascots from Arsenal in the Community appeared with the captains before the match.
In addition to the last match here at Emirates, there was an equally fantastic afternoon up at Meadow Park on Sunday, January 14, when Arsenal Woman donned the iconic kit for the very first time, against Watford in the FA Cup fourth round.
At the women’s game, the supporters clubs excelled themselves with a brilliant display as they held up white cards to show their support. Abi, the CEO of Abianda, one of our NMR partners that works with women and girls affected by organised crime, violence and criminal exploitation, presented Lotte-Wubben Moy with her Player of the Month award and had an interview pitchside about their work – and of course there was another fantastic bespoke matchday programme. NMR partners and stakeholders were also present for the team’s 5-1 victory.
Lastly, even our Academy got involved as the players donned NMR warm-up hoodies for the Under-21s’ 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough at Meadow Park on Friday, January 12.
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