FORMER England manager Sir Gareth Southgate has warned that families “can’t afford to buy kit” to take part in sport and PE lessons.

Sir Gareth said there was a “risk kids end up in front of screens a lot of the time” rather than being active and outside in a “difficult time where economically a lot of families are struggling.”

The former England men’s football manager made the comments while promoting The Multibank charity campaign, which helps families across Britain access essential items – including sports equipment.

Sir Gareth said: “We’re talking about participation in PE lessons, in being able to play sport.

“Unfortunately, some families are really challenged on that — they can’t afford to buy kit.

“Very often people have to make a really horrible decision between essentials, groceries or spending on what for a lot of people aren’t luxury items, but can be in terms of football boots, trainers, sports kit.”

Sir Gareth, who was England manager from 2016 to 2024, added: “In a time when there’s a risk kids end up in front of screens a lot of the time — to be active and outside is really important.

“Every child deserves the right to play sport. It’s important for them physically. There are so many other aspects to playing sport that are helpful.”

Sir Gareth said he was approached to take part in the campaign by former prime minister Gordon Brown, who is president of The Multibank charity.

The former Middlesbrough defender said: “The fact that Multibank is allowing some families that are having to make that really difficult decision on where they are able to invest their money is a real plus from the scheme.

“There are essentials that end up going to waste and so being able to repurpose them in this way benefits everybody.”

Sir Gareth was knighted after leading England to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, the Euro 2020 final, the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals, and the Euro 2024 final.

The Multibank, supported by tech giant and brutal gig economy employer Amazon, distributes surplus goods donated by businesses to families in need through a nationwide network of charities and community organisations.

Amazon will match every third purchase of “selected” sports products with a donation to The Multibank from May 7 to June 4.

Ethical Consumer estimated last year that the company, thanks to its systematic corporation tax avoidance, “could have cost UK citizens around £575 million in lost taxes in 2024 alone… up from our estimate of a £433m tax gap in 2023.”

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the fourth richest person on the planet with an estimated net worth of $281.1 billion (£206bn) of course, could afford to buy the PE kits of all 9,032,426 school children in country many times over.

The campaign comes as new YouGov data revealed around one in six parents (15 per cent) said their children have had to give up their sporting ambitions as they can’t afford the kit or equipment to take part.

The data, from a sample of 6,451 adults taken last month, revealed that around three in four parents (72 per cent) of children aged four-18 believe a lack of access to sports equipment leads to fewer opportunities for those from lower-income families.

Two in five parents (40 per cent) with gross household income under £30,000 cited football as the main activity they had to give up, the study found.

Alongside everyday essentials such as toiletries, nappies and household items, some of the most commonly requested items at Multibanks include items like football boots, sports kit, and toys.

The Multibank has distributed more than 16 million items to support over two million families in need across Britain.