Southampton to wear one-off kit against Leicester this weekend to promote ‘Disability Gamechanger’ campaign

A giant version of the shirt will be carried onto the St Mary’s pitch before kick-off, while Saints’ players will wear the Scope charity logo on their shirts

Southampton will help promote disability equality this weekend by wearing a one-off kit featuring charity Scope's logo.

Saturday's Premier League encounter with Leicester will see Virgin Media hand over their shirt sponsorship to raise awareness of the charity's 'Disability Gamechanger' campaign.

A giant version of the shirt will be carried out onto the pitch before kick-off, while Saints players will wear Scope tops during the warm-up to help address and highlight issues that disabled people face across the country.

Scope replaced Virgin Media on the team's shirt against Manchester United in May 2017 and this shirt swap comes at a time when research shows that half of disabled adults feel excluded from society.

Southampton commercial director David Thomas said: "Equality and opportunity are key in driving everything we do here at the football club, and it means a lot to us that our commercial partners share and support these values so openly.

Southampton will swap their Virgin Media sponsorship for the Scope logo to raise awareness for disability equality (PA)

"We are committed to ensuring disabled fans get the same opportunities as everyone else so they can enjoy the sport that we all love."

Jeff Dodds, Virgin Media managing director of consumer, added: "It's time disabled people had the same opportunities as everyone else and no longer feel relegated from society.

Southampton goalkeeper Angus Gunn meets Saints' fan Helen Burns (PA)

"That's why we're using the wide appeal and exposure of Southampton's kit to highlight these issues to people across the UK.

"We want people to join us and become Disability Gamechangers so we can together create true equality for disabled people."

PA