ROBBIE Cowling has issued a rallying cry for football fans to play their part in Colchester United's Game For Ukraine.

The U's are aiming to raise £100,000 for Ukrainian refugees evacuating their country by selling every seat in their JobServe Community Stadium for the discounted £10 admission fee and covering all costs, for next week's U's home clash with Forest Green Rovers.

All the money raised via ticket sales and the Col U Game For Ukraine JustGiving page will go to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, via the British Red Cross.

The U's are aiming to raise £100,000 for humanitarian aid to be sent to help Ukrainian people by selling every seat in their stadium for the game against Forest Green, which takes place next Monday.

 

Mr Cowling told the U's website: "A week ago, Colchester United launched its incentive to raise funds so that humanitarian aid could be sent to help the Ukrainian refugees.

"Our target is to raise £100,000 by selling every seat in our stadium for £10 and covering all of the costs ourselves, such as stewarding, so that every penny could be donated to the Red Cross and the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

"Our current ticket sales suggest that we will fall significantly short of a sell-out, but there is still a week to go so I would like to ask for further support in the form of ticket sales.

"You don’t have to be a Colchester United fan to attend, you just have to be someone who wants to make what we are doing successful to the extent that others want to follow in our footsteps.

"To make sure this is a sell-out, can I ask those of you that normally attend to bring someone else along to this game.

"Maybe your partner, family member, neighbour, friend or work colleague. I would also like to ask local businesses to get behind us by buying tickets for this game and/or promoting our ‘Game for the Ukraine’ to their customers.

"Millions of Ukrainians having been fleeing their homes and tens of thousands of those that have stayed behind are barely surviving in the most horrific conditions.

"So even if we hit our target and do raise £100,000, that is not going to be a lot of money in the whole scheme of things.

"However, it will bring significant aid to those individuals that it does reach and I’m really hopeful that other clubs will follow suit.

"If that happens then the total funds raised really can make a significant difference."

All gate receipts from Colchester's match against Forest Green will be donated towards helping the refugees, without any deductions.

If any ticket already bought for the game works out to have cost less than £10, the U's say they will make up the difference.

And if that ticket works out to have cost more than £10 the club will refund the difference to the ticket holder's Privilege card.

Colchester are also hoping to wear a unique yellow and blue kit for the fixture subject to EFL permission, with the shirts to be auctioned after the game to raise money for the same cause.