Tony Adams names Arsenal's crucial player under Mikel Arteta as he makes shirt claim

Tony Adams believes a pioneering partnership around special match-worn football shirts is the perfect way for fans to show support for the Armed Forces this Remembrance Sunday.

And the former Arsenal skipper revealed there is only one star's jersey he wants to get his hands on – Gunners midfielder Declan Rice. Adams, 58, has joined forces with both the Royal British Legion and MatchWornShirt (MWS) to help raise more crucial funds for the Poppy Appeal.

Across late October and November, clubs across the English football pyramid, including Premier League, EFL and WSL, will wear shirts adorned with the poppy emblem, uniting football in a powerful act of respect.

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These unique match-worn shirts will be signed by the players and made available to fans through a series of online auctions hosted exclusively on the MWS platform, with all net proceeds being donated to the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.

This year’s campaign features Adams, whose father served in the British Army. The England and Arsenal legend is acutely aware of the similarities between football and military service and says that special connection makes the initiative so powerful.

“I really wanted to get involved to show my respects – it’s a very, very special campaign that generates so much money for vital services,” he said.

“It has a significant connection with football – we are using football to shine a light on the armed forces, and to remember, which is so important.

“There are special values in the game – respect, unity, discipline and teamwork – that really resonate with the armed forces. My dad was in the army and played for the British Army – I was very proud and it’s always had a connection.

“I remember watching him as a child – and the one-minute silence every Remembrance Sunday always had a significant effect on me. It’s so important that we don’t forget – we remember and create conversations around it.”

Asked what it would be like for a fan to win a shirt worn and signed by Rice, Adams added: “I’ll be bidding for that one for sure! I’m a fan and I’ll be getting involved – and hopefully everyone else will too.

“It’s unbelievable how much has been raised by the campaign so far – and we need to keep up the great work.” Now in its seventh consecutive year, the MWS campaign has raised almost £3.5 million in support of the Poppy Appeal to date, helping to further the Royal British Legion’s vital support of the Armed Forces community.

In an inspirational campaign video filmed in the shadow of Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, Adams speaks passionately of the respect and honour that the poppy symbolises within the football community, and of the impact that funds from the campaign can have on the lives of those who have served in the Armed Forces.

Alongside the match-worn and signed poppy shirt auctions, MWS will also host free-to-enter, squad-signed shirt giveaways from clubs including Arsenal, Everton, Leeds and more.

Every donation to the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal helps to provide vital support to the Armed Forces community and ensures their unique contribution is never forgotten.

Adams is an Arsenal icon having played over 500 games for the North London club across a storied near 20-year career.

The steely former centre-back won a pair of First Division and Premier League titles each, three FA Cups and now has a statue of him standing tall outside the Emirates Stadium.

Adams compared the culture he tried to instil at the club with the values that underpin military service and is urging the nation to continue remembering this year.

“There were a lot of values that I tried to instil in my colleagues that align with those in the armed forces,” he added. “When I was a player, I always made sure I was the first one in every day.

“I had my own standards that I asked my colleagues to come up to. But still with compassion and love – if they were having a tough time, we were all open and honest enough to have communication.

“I tried to create that culture at my football club – and those values are those that I got from my father. The armed forces set us free, and they need to be remembered and passed on. We need to give them the vital support to go through that and live peaceful lives.”

To help the Royal British Legion continue its vital work, head to the MWS website and get involved in one of the many auctions for this year’s Poppy Appeal: MWS.com/poppy .