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Villa to change shirt sponsor against Ajax due to Dutch ad rules

Villa to change shirt sponsor against Ajax due to Dutch ad rules

Acorns, the children’s hospice, will appear on the front of Aston Villa’s shirts during their Europa Conference League game against Ajax on Thursday.

The Premier League club, who have long been a partner of the charity, had worn the Acorns logo on the front of team shirts between 2008 and 2010.

The first leg of the round of 16 tie against will be played at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam resulting in the logo of gambling firm BK8 being replaced due to Dutch advertising regulations.

Villa previously wore the logo of the club’s charity foundation when they played in the Netherlands against AZ Alkmaar in October.


(Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Chris Heck, Villa’s president of business operations, said: “Aston Villa and Acorns have a relationship that is world-renowned, which was brought to global attention some 16 years ago when the hospice’s name appeared on the front of those famous claret and blue shirts for the first time.

“We are delighted to be able to continue to work together for such a noble and important cause and we hope this exposure to such a large audience will be hugely beneficial to Acorns.

“On our previous visit to the Netherlands earlier in this competition, we were proud to wear the Aston Villa’s Foundation’s branding on the front of our shirts and we are extremely pleased that we’ll be able to carry Acorns’ message in a similar way.”

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