Sunderland fans are hailing Asamoah Gyan’s generosity in the biting cold after their Ghanaian striker went almost naked by giving his jersey and shorts to the travelling supporters after a league game on Saturday.
Sunderland moved to within one point of fifth-placed Tottenham after beating Blackpool 2-1 in the wake of Darren Bent’s departure.
And Gyan celebrated it by performing a seaside strip.
The Ghana ace first removed his No. 33 shirt and threw it into the travelling crowd from Wearside at the final whistle.
Watch video of Asamoah Gyan going 'naked'
[media id=219]
Then, ignoring the bone-chilling temperature, he removed his shorts and threw them to the fans before running off the pitch.
And Gyan has promised to carry on stripping – if Sunderland stay on course for Europe.
The £13m former Modena and Udinese star said: “I used to do that all the time in Italy. In south Italy, players have been doing that for a long time.
“After every game they would make sure they threw their jerseys and their shorts to the fans. I don’t think its a big deal. I just want the fans to be happy.â€
His act of generosity has been hailed by the fans of the club who thought it was a perfect gift for the travelling fans.
Gyan admitted that Bent’s exit had caught the players by surprise, adding: “It’s been a difficult week but the focus was there. It was a surprise, a huge surprise, because there was no sign of Darren leaving. But it’s one of those things and that’s football.â€