Working in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police and the football authorities, the game was identified as a fitting occasion to send a powerful and hard-hitting message about the social ills of street violence to football fans across the country.

KRBS and CYC Logistics, the sponsors of Charlton Athletic and Millwall respectively, took away their brands from the front of both teams’ shirts and were replaced by a powerful, one-off special edition Street Violence Ruins Lives logo. Both brands fully understand the significant and powerful role that football can play in changing social attitudes.

Before the match itself, Sally and Colin Knox and Barry and Margaret Mizen were introduced to the fans and wore the one-off shirts with the names of their late sons on their backs. Both families were then greeted by the players when they come out for the game.

Colin and Sally Knox, parents of the late Rob Knox, said: "This idea is a fitting tribute to the lives of Rob and Jimmy.

"Rob was a passionate Charlton Athletic fan and if this initiative stops even just one other young person from dying at the hands of street violence then it will be a huge success. We want to use this game to once again urge the government to introduce tougher laws for those caught carrying a knife.

"We want a six-month mandatory custodial sentence for this and we hope the government will look at this issue with the same seriousness as Charlton Athletic and Millwall football clubs.

"Our thoughts will be with Rob, Jimmy and all those other unfortunate young ones who have lost their lives through the use of a knife, a gun or street violence."

Barry and Margaret Mizen, parents of the late Jimmy Mizen, said: "Both football clubs should be applauded for the way they are setting an example across the football community to increase awareness of this problem.

"Jimmy was a Millwall fan and this match is a fitting tribute to both boys. This initiative will hopefully make kids think twice about their actions. This is something that all football clubs around the country must embrace and the whole football community should pull together to make a difference, just as Charlton Athletic and Millwall have done."

After the match, the two sets of shirts will be auctioned off with proceeds going to the Rob Knox Memorial Fund and the Jimmy Mizen Foundation.

The game is being used to highlight the social problem of street violence that has blighted the UK for the past few years. It is part of a ‘Street Violence Ruins Lives’ campaign that Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT) already runs locally. Additional activities will take place on the day to raise valuable funds for both clubs’ community Trusts to ensure that they can continue to deliver programmes around the issue in local areas. Funds will go towards supporting the appointment of a crime reduction manager, boosting current activities in the local areas of both clubs, and to deliver educational resources into schools to help signpost young people away from a life of crime and into positive activities.