It’s one of our New Year’s Resolutions to recognise more of the fantastic football shirt related content and causes that might otherwise be missed amid the clamour for endless new kit releases.
To kick-off 2022, we want to start by sending a shout out to a smart pair of shirts released at the end of 2021, that cleverly highlight the problems associated with the gambling industry’s links to football.
Chance United is a football club with a unique purpose, set-up as it was, to help people overcome gambling harm and re-connect them with their love for football.
You may have seen Chance United’s innovative home and goalkeeper shirts featured by the excellent Chris Matić of Chat Shirt fame:
The sponsorship of football shirts along with the advertising of gambling sites during TV coverage in that friendly, blokey manner we’ve become accustomed to, normalises behaviours around betting, whilst dropping in a handy “Please Gamble Responsibly” disclaimer at the end just to make everything feel ok.
Meanwhile, words like “acca” have become part of everyday parlance as we’re reminded that “When The Fun Stops, Stop.”
For many, a flutter on the footy is a harmless part of the matchday experience – you win some, you lose some.
Well, what if it’s not that easy?
The important thing to know, is that you are not alone . . . and help is available.
Chance United are the brainchild of designer Michael Louth and we love how he has weaved so many important messages about the effects of gambling on society, and where to seek help, into these shirts.
The use of the betting slips as a medium to convey important, often taboo information about addiction in a readily accessible manner really stands out for us.
The Chance United home and goalkeeper shirts have just sold out following a pre-order phase, with 100% of all profits going to Gambling With Lives, a charity started to support those who’ve lost friends and family members to gambling-related suicide.
Sartorial Soccer 