Fontaines D.C.’s frontman has revealed why he wore the shirt of a little-known Welsh football club during the band’s Reading Festival headline set.

Grian Chatten, lead singer of the Irish five-piece rock band, was seen sporting a green and white-striped Cwmbran Celtic away shirt during the performance.

The semi-professional club had partnered with four famous bands for their 2026/27 season team kits, with sales of the shirt going towards supporting the club and grassroots music venues.

In a statement to BBC Wales, Chatten said: “I love Cwmbran and I love initiatives that support independent venues.”

Cwmbran Celtic said: “We’re still in shock and can’t thank Grian enough for the support.”

The club added that pre-sales of the shirt have now almost doubled.

It has partnered with Welsh groups Super Furry Animals and Panic Shack, as well as Loose Articles and Mogwai, with the latter appearing as a sponsor on the shirt worn by Chatten at Reading.

Chatten added: “Cwmbran Celtic is a club run by volunteers who have a sense of solidarity with the plight independent music venues are facing. I think that’s class. Also I love Mogwai.”

Matt Jarrett, joint commercial manager for the club, said they “never expected a totally different band, who weren’t on the shirt to end up wearing it on stage”.

He said a friend of the club worked as the monitor engineer for Fontaines D.C., and helped get a size 3XL to Chatten.

“In all honesty, we thought we’ll give it to him. It’ll be nice for him to have it. Maybe he will wear it backstage or something,” said Jarrett.

But to the club and its supporters’ surprise, Chatten not only wore the shirt but performed the bands headline set in it – in front of tens of thousands at the festival and many more online and on television.

“We were as surprised as anyone when we saw him walking out on stage with the shirt on,” Jarrett said.

Jarrett said it had been “crazy” ever since, after festival-goers and viewers shared photos and videos of the band’s performance.

“Our pre-sale orders have almost doubled from last Friday,” he said.

“The Fontaines fans have gone crazy over it.”

Jarrett, who also owns a record store in Newport, said 10% of shirt sale profits would go to the Music Venues Trust.