Little Mix star Jade works with Lines Behind to create shirt for The Mariners celebrating all that's great about South Shields - and it will help raise cash for Cancer Connections too

Jade, the club’s honorary president, worked with North East illustrator and designer James Dixon to devise the shirt.

All profits raised through sales of the item – which celebrates all that is good about the town of South Shields – will be donated by the club to the charity Cancer Connections, of which Jade is a long-term supporter and patron.

Jade said: “Creating the Limited Edition Community Shirt for South Shields FC has been incredibly special for me.

“As honorary president of the club, I believe my role is to use my platform to put the club and South Shields on the map and show the world how proud we are as a town and community. The shirt reflects that very notion.

“With the proceeds going directly to local charity Cancer Connections, this is a shirt which every fan can wear with absolute pride knowing that by doing so they will be helping someone locally who is struggling with the devastating impact of cancer.”

She added: “It was important for me to bring on board a North East artist to help me design the shirt.

“I’ve been a fan of James’ (Lines Behind) work for quite some time and I knew he’d be the perfect fit in helping me create this special shirt.

“Together we’ve created a shirt that really captures South Shields and its community spirit - using the club’s signature colours in the artwork we incorporated many of the town’s landmarks and things we are most proud of.

“Support South Shields FC, support the town, and wear this Limited Edition shirt with pride.”

Club chairman Geoff Thompson said: “This community shirt was the brainchild of our president, Jade Thirlwall, who wanted to work with local people to celebrate the town and in doing so will raise essential money for a local charity close to her heart.

“When the idea first sparked we expressed our delight to be involved.”

The club’s players wore the shirt ahead of Wednesday’s game against Sunderland’s Under-23s at 1st Cloud Arena, with Jade’s nephew Karl walking the team out as mascot.

The work of James Dixon, from Lines Behind, can be seen across the North East and beyond - including in Jade's Arbeia bar.

He hopes this will be the start of long-lasting relationship with the town and the football club.

He said: “For me, the shirt is everything and more. We want this to be about the community and the town.

“We both saw it as an opportunity to shout about the landmarks and the people, and how we can grow together as one.”

Cancer Connections, based in Harton Lane, provides advice and support to cancer patients, carers and families.

Charity manager Deborah Roberts said: “It’s amazing that the football club is prepared to donate all of the profits from the sales of this brilliant shirt to the charity.

“As all charities have found, it has been extremely difficult for us to raise funds in the ways we usually would during the pandemic, so to be boosted by an initiative like this is a huge blessing.

“Jade is an incredible patron for our charity and ambassador for the football club and town of South Shields. This is just the latest example of the remarkable support she provides us.”

The shirt will be available to buy from 4pm on Friday 29th October and will be priced at £32 for children and £38 for adults.

The club shop can be found online at store.southshieldsfc.co.uk, and there will also be availability at 1st Cloud Arena.

Help us to help others by purchasing one of these limited edition shirts. The football club will donate all profits it receives from shirt sales to Cancer Connections.

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