A football club is encouraging its fans to sign up to the blood stem cell donor register.

Supporters-owned Clapton Community Football Club in Walthamstow is using their match on Saturday against Stonewall Football Club to ask fans to sign up to the blood stem blood donor register.

The process to join the register is a simple swab inside the mouth.

The team has collaborated with charity DKMS for their Football vs Blood Cancer campaign.

Once added to the DKMS register, there is a 4 per cent chance of being called up as a match for someone in need.

So, the football club has worked out that if all fans at the fame on Saturday sign up, they could help a full football team of 11.

Clapton CFC member Sukhdev Johal had his life changed by a blood cell donor.

He said: "Somebody out there gave me the purest of all altruistic gifts and wanted nothing in return. "We do not know each other and we have never met. That person shared with me some of their peripheral blood stem cells, which gave me the only possibility of overcoming cancer.

"This simple action gave me the gift of life. Yes, truly the gift of life.

"I underwent six rounds of chemotherapy, but that only gave me additional time. Without a blood stem cell transplant I would relapse.

"Luckily good fortune shined so the chemotherapy went well and I was eligible for a blood stem transplant. But was there a match out there? If there was, would they donate?

"Then I received news that transformed my life and my future.

"The medics told me they had found a full match, using the international register of donors. I guess you can imagine how I felt.

"There’s a match for everyone and therefore a potential cure for everyone. However, that goal can be achieved only if we increase the size of the register and its diversity.

"That means YOU are the key to potentially conquering blood cancers and many other blood disorders.

" Anyone between the ages of 17-55 and in general good health can become a potential blood stem cell donor. Donations are usually given in a similar way to giving blood and are non-invasive."

Clapton CFC are currently in their first season, playing in the Middlesex County Football League, and are fully owned by their 1230 members.

The club average gates of more than 300 fans at home games at the Stray Dog, part of the Wadham Lodge sports complex in Walthamstow.

The team gained notoriety last August for its away shirt, in the colours of the Spanish Republic, which was a tribute to the volunteers who joined the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War 80 years ago.

The away shirt went viral and sold more than 10,000 replicas.

Clapton CFC is playing Stonewall on Saturday, February 16, at the Stray Dog, Kitchener Road, Walthamstow.

The match kicks off at 2pm, but there are activities from 1pm.

Admission is free, but cash donations are welcome.