SOUTHEND United Football Club has defended its decision to switch sponsors from a cancer charity to a bookmakers following criticism from fans.

The club has allowed Prostate Cancer UK and the Amy May Trust to promote themselves for free on its shirts for the past two seasons.

However, it is now taking advantage of a bumper payday as part of the Paddy Power “Save our Shirts” campaign.

A spokesman for the club said: “For the past two seasons we have donated the area on the front of our shirt to two separate charities, the Amy May Trust and Prostate Cancer UK, raising vital awareness and funds for both.

“We did not receive a single penny in sponsorship for this great coverage, we were proud to support and work closely with the two chosen charities.

“Our donation to Prostate Cancer UK was for one season only and they have not been ‘dropped’ from the shirt to be replaced by Paddy Power.

“We are continuing to work closely with Prostate Cancer UK, as well as a number of other charities on fundraising events throughout the season and beyond.

“Even with the vast amount of money in the Premier League, not one club donated their first team’s front of shirt area to a charity partner last season.

“Our partnership with Paddy Power is a great commercial deal for the club and their ‘Save Our Shirt’ campaign is about making the front of shirt about the badge of Southend United along with three other clubs.

“We will also be working closely with them throughout the season on charity partnerships.”

Ironically, last week when Paddy Power launched the campaign in partnership with Huddersfield Town FC, Prostate Cancer UK tweeted “not all football shirts need saving”, adding a thank you to Southend United.

Fan Mark Foster said: “I understand Huddersfield getting rid of their sponsor for the ‘bring back our shirt movement’, but not Southend. Their sponsor was prostate cancer. Why boycott that?”

Andrew Urry added: “As a Southend fan you’re not returning the kit to me Paddy Power. I’d much rather we have a logo of a fantastic prostate cancer charity on our shirt than be party to this nonsense publicity stunt by a bookies.”

Prostate Cancer UK thanked the club for its support.

Football project manager Jake Martens, from the charity, said: “Prostate Cancer UK are incredibly grateful for the support and generosity of Southend United FC, its players, staff and supporters during the 2018/19 season.

“By donating the front of shirt partnership to Prostate Cancer UK for free for the entire season, they allowed us a unique platform to raise awareness of a disease that kills one man every 45 minutes.

“When news of the partnership was announced a year ago, former manager, and Prostate Cancer UK ambassador, Chris Powell declared ‘this partnership will save lives’.

“True to his word, we were contacted by Shrimpers fan Keith Smith who told us the work of Southend United and Chris around raising awareness of prostate cancer prompted him to see his doctor and he was subsequently diagnosed before having life-saving surgery.

“Real-life impact stories such as Keith’s reinforce how important our work in football proves to be. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, so we need to be where men are.”