FOR the second year in a row, 400 schoolchildren in the Stroud district are being offered a free Forest Green Rovers replica football shirt.

Every child beginning in Year 3 this September at any school in the district is eligible to receive a free shirt from the club that normally retails at £35.

Forest Green’s unique green and black-hooped kit will be seen far and wide this season, and is another initiative by FGR to encourage youngsters to get involved in football alongside its popular Fit2Last and School Ambassador community schemes.

As the club celebrates its 125th anniversary this season, the new shirt also marks that milestone with a commemorative badge.

Forest Green chairman Dale Vince said: “This is a fabulous new look for Forest Green Rovers. Identity is especially important in football – a unique look is something few football clubs have.

"This new strip has identity, it’s thoroughly unique, an imposing look and it’s certainly going to get noticed.

“Working with Puma has been fantastic for us – we’ve been able to come up with our own design, rather than buy an off-the-shelf look, and then try and make it a little different – this strip is Forest Green Rovers and no one else."

Having started this season with five consecutive wins, FGR are looking to go one better than last year’s play-off finish by securing promotion to the Football League for the first time.

Parents of eligible children can register with the club to arrange for them to receive their free shirt, which will be available for collection at the home game with Guiseley on October 10.