MANY City supporters like to keep old shirts for nostalgia value but there might now be a better use for any tops gathering dust in your bottom draw - especially if it has black and white cheques on its sleeves.

The Yorkshire Building Society are currently calling on the nation's football fans to join their "Send Shirts to Skopje" campaign to assist families in the Macedonian capital.

Blue Sky, a network of young volunteers, will distribute the shirts to disadvantaged and disabled children and adults, as well as in poorer villages and among all ethnic communities in the poorest country of those comprising the former Yugoslavia.

Almost a quarter of Macedonians live below the poverty line and 37 per cent are unemployed.

The appeal will run until the end of next month and Yorkshire Building Society's spokesperson Tanya Mills said: "Macedonians are passionate about their football and many support British clubs. If any fan can donate their shirt to this campaign, they can be sure that they will be giving a treasured gift to a recipient in Macedonia."

City fans can donate their shirts at the York branch in Feasegate or by post to "Send Shirts to Skopje", c/o Catapult PR, 19a-20a Marsh Mill Village, Thorton Cleveleys, Lancashire, FY5 4JZ.

A league table of clubs' shirts is also being regularly updated, with Scottish towns currently vying for top spot but Middlesbrough fans are proving the most generous donators by post.

Every club in the English and Scottish Leagues have also been asked to give their support and the campaign hopes to involve individual footballer and celebrities.

Updated: 10:15 Saturday, February 14, 2004