Following the highly anticipated 'Wembley Weekender', which saw the respective 2020 and 2021 Papa John's Trophy Finals played at the home of football, Finalist Clubs have raised a huge amount of money for charity via a virtual ticket campaign.
With fans unfortunately unable to attend the fixtures due to ongoing restrictions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, supporters have continued to show their support from afar, raising money for a number of fantastic causes in the process.
Sunderland AFC’s official charity, the Foundation of Light, worked alongside the club to generate over £170,000 for four local charities, successfully bringing together almost 10,000 fans, current and former players, plus local businesses to support the vital work of the organisations.
The Black Cats' 2021 Final opponents, Tranmere Rovers, produced a big campaign of their own, raising £50,000 to tackle food poverty and mental health issues locally. The club's Community Trust created a working relationship with the club to deliver another brilliant example of using football for good.
Salford City went on to lift the first major trophy in their history and chose four charities to benefit from their scheme, receiving the backing of Gary Neville and David Beckham on social media, while Portsmouth successfully supported their official charity, Pompey in the Community to raise funds.
The initiative is testament to football being a force for good and the important roles EFL Clubs play in their local communities - particularly over the last 12 months where Clubs have provided a lifeline of support to some of the most vulnerable people up and down the country since the outbreak of coronavirus.