Manchester United and Manchester City have pledged a combined £100,000 to help vulnerable people during the coronavirus crisis.
The money will fund food banks in Greater Manchester, with United and City donating £50,000 each to the Trussell Trust. The Trust supports over 1,200 food banks for vulnerable people, with food donations on hold on match days following the suspension of the Premier League season.
In a joint statement, Manchester United and Manchester City said: “We are proud of the role our supporters play in helping local food banks and recognise the increased strain likely to be placed on these charities by the impact of coronavirus.
“At a time of challenge for our community, we are pleased to come together with our fans to help vulnerable members of society in a City United.”
The Trussell Trust support a network of food banks who usually collect supplies outside of Old Trafford and The Etihad before matches but the coronavirus pandemic has put a stop to that for now.
Elsewhere, Chelsea have made the Millennium Hotel at their Stamford Bridge stadium in London available to the National Health Service to provide accommodation to staff as they fight the pandemic. Chelsea said owner Roman Abramovich would cover the costs of providing accommodation and the club has made all rooms available if required.
England’s football authorities will delay the start of the 2020-21 season until the last ball has been kicked in the 2019-20 campaign, with sources telling ESPN that this year’s Premier League and EFL seasons will “absolutely finish before the next one begins.”
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Following a meeting involving all 20 Premier League clubs on Thursday, it was announced that the shutdown to the league season will be extended until April 30 at the earliest. All professional football in England stopped last Friday, initially until April 3, before the latest extension.
“Who knows when next season will start and how many games clubs will be able to play,” a club source told ESPN. “But this is the only way. We have to end this season first.”
