Arsenal stars are giving the shirts off their backs to help ensure a range of Islington community projects have enough cash to keep going.

Footballing heroes such as Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Özil have agreed to auction the shirts they wore in the Arsenal Vs Stoke home game on Sunday to raise money for charity.

The shirts were specially embroided with ‘100 Years in Islington’, ‘1913 – 2013’ as well as the date of the game in celebration of the club’s centenary in the borough.

Cash raised from the auction will go towards the Arsenal Foundation – a body which works with charities and local projects through cash donations, advice and much more.

The Gazette revealed last week how the foundation was supporting the charity Islington Giving with £150,000 spread over three years to run after-hours football sessions across the borough.

An Arsenal spokesman said: “We are delighted to continue supporting the people of Islington through the Arsenal Foundation. We hope the auction of these special shirts will give fans a chance to own a piece of Arsenal history, while also ensuring the continued success of a range of community projects set up to improve the lives of people in the borough.”

Arsenal said an announcement on auctioning the shirts would be made within the next fortnight and details of where to bid and how would be made through the club’s website.

The shirt was one of a number of ways the club celebrated a century since the first match in Islington on Sunday.

Representatives of Leicester City – the first team to play at Highbury against Arsenal – were invited along while a duo of Gooner centenarians also had the red carpet rolled out for them.

Arsenal won the game 3-1 and for a full report on the game visit sport.