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Raheem Sterling (file pic). PA Wire/PA Images

Raheem Sterling buys 550 FA Cup semi-final tickets for kids from his old school

The Man City star has decided to give something back to the community that helped form him.

MAN CITY WINGER Raheem Sterling has bought 550 tickets ahead of the club’s FA Cup semi-final with Brighton and donated them to kids from his old school.

Ark Elvin academy, or Copland community school as it was known in Sterling’s time there, is based in London and contains students from an array of minority ethnic backgrounds — according to a report in The Guardian, over 50 languages are spoken there.

Sterling, who was born in Jamaica and emigrated with his family to England at the age of five, endured a difficult upbringing before ultimately establishing himself as a Premier League star, and has chosen to give back to the community that helped form him.

“To know he still thinks about the community he came from despite how his life has changed is really powerful for us,” the school’s principal, Rebecca Curtis, said. “The vast majority of our pupils have never been inside Wembley, let alone seen such a big game with one of our old boys playing.”

Sterling added: “I have a close connection to Ark Elvin academy having attended the school myself when it was Copland community school, so it is great to be able to give these students the chance to watch a game at Wembley.

I grew up right next door to the stadium and would dream of one day playing in a cup final or even representing my country there. To now be able to play there myself is an honour and this is a great opportunity to give back to the community that helped me get to where I am.”

City face Brighton at 5.30pm on Saturday in what will be their fourth visit to Wembley this season.

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Paul Fennessy
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