Brighton and Hove Albion have started a campaign to make 100,000 free tickets available to NHS workers across professional football as a ‘thank you’ for fighting coronavirus.

Bournemouth have already become the second club to sign up to the initiative after Brighton promised 1,000 tickets to healthcare workers. The Seagulls have invited other Premier League, EFL, Scottish and Northern Irish senior clubs to join the campaign by handing the ‘baton’ to one another other.

Jeff Mostyn, the Bournemouth chairman, has already accepted the challenge from Paul Barber, the Brighton chief executive, who said: “We fully appreciate football is the last thing on anyone’s minds at this moment, but we feel this is a small way in which we can show our gratitude for those NHS staff on the frontline, fighting the battle on all of our behalf – and give them something to look forward to.

“If each of the 92 clubs committed on average one thousand tickets, with The FA donating for a future England international and Scottish Premier League and Irish League clubs also contributing, we could easily top 100,000 tickets for these heroes. We are seeing some brilliant initiatives from clubs all over the world, and I am hopeful that there is more to come from the football family.

“Of course the biggest support we can all show our NHS heroes is by following that crucial government advice on social distancing, self-isolating, hand hygiene and using tissues to catch, kill and bin coughs and sneezes.”

Mostyn said: “We are absolutely delighted to match Brighton’s gesture and commit to one thousand tickets, and we will pass the baton to another club with the aim of reaching a significant target so football as a whole can show its appreciation for our country’s NHS workers.”

Brighton and Bournemouth will each hand over the thousand tickets when football resumes. From Thursday, Brighton players and staff – including head coach Graham Potter, chairman Tony Bloom and Barber - will begin ringing 3,000 “elderly and vulnerable supporters” over the age of 70 who have been forced into isolation to discuss their views on the club and whether they need help with supplies. Brighton have also set in place a three-month payment holiday option for monthly season-ticket holders.

Bloom is expected to draw on his own funds to cover the £3million cost of allowing supporters to take a payment break.