Sam Allardyce labels growing number of food banks as a 'disgrace' as Everton fans donate food

He also revealed Ross Barkley and Yannick Bolasie are nearing first-team returns

Everton manager Sam Allardyce has labelled the growing number of food banks in the UK as a “disgrace” and like returning to the “dark ages”.

Fans of both Everton and Liverpool have been carrying out voluntary work as part of the Fans Supporting Foodbanks initiative where non-perishable food is donated by fans on matchdays at certain drop-off points around the stadium.

Volunteers are joined by supporters to help collect the food donated by fans.

Both Everton and Liverpool football clubs offer space to the fan-led initiative and Allardyce is a vehement supporter of the project, but call it “depressing” that something like this was even needing in Britain.

“It's depressing that a country like this can need so many,” he said ahead of Saturday’s game with Chelsea. “It's going back to the dark ages and it's growing at a rapid pace, not just for people on benefits but for people in work. It’s incredibly sad that a country like ours that allows that to continue to happen. It's a disgrace.”

Allardyce plans to put Bolasie on the bench and hopefully give him a run-out after the winger finally recovered from his knee injury and confirmed he played a behind-closed-doors friendly, along with Ross Barkley and James McCarthy.

Barkley is out of contract in the summer which opens the possibility of a January move on the cheap but Allardyce hopes he will still sign a new contract.

“If everything continues the way it is, early January,” he added. “But it is not in our hands at the minute, it’s in Ross’ hands.

“The door is always open if he wants to talk about staying, but whether he chooses that, who knows?”