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Semi-pro football club ‘in shock’ after shirt worn by Reading Festival headliners
Image source, Patrick Gunning-
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A semi-professional Welsh football club say they were “in shock” after Fontaines D.C. singer wore their shirt during the band’s Reading Festival headline set.
Lead vocalist Grian Chatten was seen sporting a green and white-striped Cwmbran away shirt during the performance on Friday, leading to pre-sales of the shirt to “almost double”.
In a post shared on social media, the club said “we’re still in shock and can’t thank Grian enough for the support”.
Sales of the shirt go both towards supporting the club as well as to grassroots music venues, with the club having partnered with four famous bands for their 2026/27 season team kits.
They include 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.
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Chatten said in a statement to BBC Wales: “I love Cwmbran and I love initiatives that support independent venues.
“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 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
“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 festivalgoers and those who watched it online or on television 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.
