With up to 20 per cent of supporters who do not normally buy a replica shirt bombarding fanzines and the club’s official website to say they would now be more than happy to shell out on one, it appears Acorns’ dreams of one being able to care for all 1,600 children in the region who have life-limiting conditions will move a step nearer to reality.

That is fantastic news for John Greenfield, head of merchandising sales at Villa, who is now predicting up to 100,000 Villa shirts will be sold throughout the world next season – getting the Acorns’ name spread across the globe.

Greenfield said: "There is no doubt that the shirts will be extremely popular this year now that they are promoting a charity which is an incredible cause and close to the hearts of many of us.

"We are already hearing from fans who do not normally buy a football shirt but who will be considering doing so this time because they are proud of this association between the club and a charity which does such incredible work with sick children and their families.

"But it is not just this gesture which has seen shirt sales rise. The biggest denominator is success on the pitch as can be reflected in sales over the last two seasons.

"In the 2005-6 season we sold 32,000 shirts throughout our Villa Village stores and last season we sold 41,000. We do not have figures back from our manufacturer Nike on overall shirt sales from outlets worldwide but we estimate some 79,000 Villa home and away shirts were sold over all and that does not include training kits, tracksuits and so on.

"This year we predict that will be nearer 100,000 which is great news because it means Acorns will be getting the publicity it deserves and of course that does not include the fact its logo will be on our television screens, billboards and sports pages."

Villa’s shirt sales have in previous years been prone to manufacturing delays but Greenfield is confident with Nike at the helm the new home shirt will be launched on July 24 and the away one on August 21 giving those fans who traditionally pick up a replica shirt for their summer holidays the chance to fly the Villa flag with pride.

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jim  - villa fc     |2008-06-06 :? plz tell me u r jokig ffs ... i dnt know about ne1 else but er... i dnt reali like the idea of a childrens hospice sponsorg us ! Reply | Quote

Forest Fifer   |2008-06-06 Please tell us YOU are joking..... They're not sponsoring you, you're effectively paying them by giving them free advertising. You sad uncharitable loser..... Reply | Quote

Anonymous   |2008-06-06 cheer up you knobhead Reply | Quote

Anonymous   |2008-06-06 *gasp* How will the villa supporters cope with being sponsored by a charity?! Its good that the money obsessed premiership starts pushing charities instead of betting companies and beer. Play up sky blues! Reply | Quote

Anonymous   |2008-06-06 i'm pretty sure that giving the advertising for free is effectively some kind of tax break. also, i wouldn't be surprised if some of the other villa sponsors like Seat cars and Nike, haven't been made to contribute towards the loss of revenue. + they get to enhance their reputation. win win win win - that's the theme for next season by the way from the cynical shit x Reply | Quote

villavilla   |2008-06-06 to the cynical guy: tax break ? what are you on - this is not the film industry = our owner has given away 4mil of his own money to redevelop local landmarks around villa park and 5million to an art gallery this year. villa have been working with this charity for years - this is just a step up in the publicity of it - the fact that this article is on this site and articles like it on other sites is the aim of putting the charity name on our shirt - advertisement for them and promote the work these none government supported groups do for the community. now all we need to do is get some top players to wear the shirts would be nice to have a % of the sale price given to the charity on the shirts cost Reply | Quote

Andrew R  - Andrew R   |2008-06-06 Looking at the response from Jim it would be better if the charity was a literacy one - my 5 year old spells better than that! Look up literacy in a dick-shun-ree Jim! Great effort by Villa, I am a Sunderland fan but am hugely impressed by all that Lerner has done for Villa and the area. Reply | Quote

danwho   |2008-06-07 I think in this day of greed, it is a positive step by Villa. Hopefully some other clubs will step up too. Reply | Quote

o neil   |2008-06-29 all you against the idea of acorns sponsership should be ashamed. Im proud to be supporting villa for 20 years and this move is heading in the right direction and Lerner is taking us all to where we just dreamed about..... the good days are back. Reply | Quote

SHIT ON THE CITY   |2008-06-29 i think the fact that were displayin a charity on our shirt is a brilliant idea. look at barcelona wif unicef? they ave dun the same thing,, and i just think its excellent. well dun randy, uve dun us villa fans proud Reply | Quote

dave phillips  - ??????   |2008-10-04 has anyone seen my lighter?? i lost it earlier this evening and i'm dying for a smoke Reply | Quote

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