New Northampton Saints away kit to pay tribute to club's fans

Northampton Saints' new away shirt will feature a special tribute to the fans who stuck with them during the pandemic.

The names of thousands of season ticket holders have been etched into the fabric as a way of saying thank you to supporters who donated the money they were owed for games that had to be held behind closed doors last season.

Saints had to play the majority of their fixtures last season without any fans in stadiums due to coronavirus restrictions.

However, it's expected that supporters will be allowed back to Franklin's Gardens for the start of the new Premiership campaign in September.

“We were absolutely blown away by the passionate backing we had from our supporters throughout the pandemic,” said Will Peasgood, Head of Retail at Northampton Saints.

“Adding their names to this season’s kit was the least we could do to say ‘thank you’ to them. We’re really pleased with how it has turned out – seeing it in the flesh is really exciting and we can’t wait to see many of our supporters back in the stands at Franklin’s Gardens wearing their club colours this coming season.”Club co-captain, Alex Waller, added: “Carrying the names of so many of our supporters onto the pitch with us will be a real inspiration for the players next season.

“We really felt the absence of crowds in the stands last season – I hope we can show our gratitude to them for standing by us every time we wear this special shirt.”