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AJ'S GOAL CELEBRATION

Sunday 6th January 2008 09:00 by Scott McLeod

Andrew Johnson has explained the goal celebration that is sweeping the Premier League.

Andrew Johnson has provided an explanation to the goal celebration that is sweeping the Premier League.

Everton's England international was one of the first players in the top flight to use the 'A-symbol' celebration, along with Birmingham's Cameron Jerome and Wigan's Marcus Bent.

It has led to widespread speculation concerning its meaning. And the Everton man has now provided explanation, revealing it relates to a charity established by Wigan's Fitz Hall.

He told evertonTV: "The celebration is about a campaign to get kids off the streets. It is a campaign that is going to be launched next summer and it is going to be 4-a-side street football which will visit estates all over the country.

"It is to give kids the opportunity the boys here at Everton have got and to show what they can do and they can achieve.

"The boys in the Premier League want to back it and it shows with the goal celebrations you have seen across the country – everybody has been doing it from the Premier League to the first division. One of my friends Fitz Hall has sorted it all and word has got about. And finally everybody has been asking about the A – it is A-Star.

"It is important to get kids off the street, there has been a lot of bad stories with kids across the country from London to Merseyside. It is a good opportunity for kids to get off the street and show what they can do."

For more details on the A-Star scheme set up by Fitz Hall, click here.

Cathy CondronAnd here's us thinking Andy Johnson's "A" salute was - "A for Andrew".....sorry. My son Andrew even liked that one, but it did confuse us when we saw Marcus Bent doing it when he scored his recent Hatrick against Blackburn!!!! What a fantastic way to make people aware of such a scheme. Brilliant idea and being picked up by many others, so it can only do good and make the public aware of a worthy cause for kids charities. Well done AJ, kids look upto you and us adults are well impressed too! Have a great second half of the season Andrew! CC in Oxton

Thursday 10th January 22:54 Report Comment