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Friday, September 28, 2012

Hello from BOB new communications volunteer for Just a Ball Game?



HELLO FROM BOB.


Greetings Just a Ball Game? followers. My name is Bob Woods and I have just joined JBG? to help with the communications, twitter, facebook and blogs etc. So in my first week I am pitched into the fray head first with two outings with Lindsay England into a world of football I had really lost touch with,
On Tuesday, 18t September 2012, JBG? had been invited to AFC Rushden & Diamonds. They were wanting to sign the Sports Charter for Action on Homophobia and Transphobia, and to unveil the JBG? banner behind the home goal. The Chair , Ralph Burditt, wanted to show the clubs continued commitment to diversity and respect, and launch its own "Think before You Chant" initiative.

 
Rushden & Diamonds have been through some difficult financial times but also experienced personal tragedy with the untimely death of their Goalkeeper Dale Roberts. Meeting the lovely people at the club from board members and all those volunteers which keep a non-league club going, I was overwhelmed by their sincerity, friendliness, and willingness to embrace the message of Just A Ball Game to respect Diversity and challenge Homophobia.

 

Dale's Bar, transformed from a porta cabin by volunteers, showed that this club has a huge heart!
And the penalty shoot out between Castor the cat and Dazzler was hilarious!
The photos of the night show the genuine enthusiasm we experienced, I was left wondering "why can't all clubs be like this?" . Given time and resources, maybe they can! And if clubs like AFC Rushden & Diamonds from the United Counties League can do it....so can the Premiership and Football League!

 

But that was not the end of my week, On Wednesday, !9th September I accompanied Lindsay to Walsall for the Euro Women's Qualifier England against Croatia. Although we experienced a few problems mainly one part of the FA not knowing what the other part had agreed to ( the hanging of the JBG? banner flag beside the goal) it was an insight into why we need to concentrate on the grass roots to change the culture from the bottom up. I was impressed by the numbers of parents and teachers who came up to our stall, and especially a conversation I had with group of teen girls , all keen football players, about homophobic chants and slurs, I was surprised by their understanding and experiences, It made me realise we cant wait for the "Blazers" in the Board Rooms to change the culture on the terraces and on the pitch, its the next generation , their teachers and parents who are going to challenge the old attitudes and make football a safe place for LGBT players and supporters.

Wednesday also saw the publication of the report from the Culture and Media Committee. This report identified homophobia as a major and growing issue. A cursory glance at the websites of the FA, Premiership, and Premiership clubs shows huge gaps between those clubs who have taken a lead ( e,g going to local LGBT Pride events, holding diversity training for their staff etc) and the majority who appear to have done very little beyond signing the Charter against Homophobia and Transphobia in Sport. I will be looking into what clubs have on their websites and also what they have publicised in their local newspapers and media and report back to name and shame the slackers and congratulate and share the best practise!

You can follow me on twitter @dinglebaggiegay ( so called because I support West Bromwich and my boyfriend supports Wolves!) and I will be posting regularly on the Just a Ball Game? blog, Twitter and Facebook page. I am really pleased to be part of JBG? and I hope you enjoy my ramblings!

Bob.

Monday, September 24, 2012

NO TO HOMOPHOBIA AT THE DOG AND DUCK STADIUM



          

                     Just a Ball Game? – MEDIA RELEASE
                                   Down at the old ‘Dog and Duck Stadium.'

                                                

AFC Rushden and Diamonds join the campaign against Homophobia in Football.

On Tuesday, !8th September 2012, we were guests of AFC Rushden & Diamonds of the Chromosport United Counties League as they announced their support of Just a Ball Game? by unveiling our latest  pitch side ad board.

Chairman Ralph Burditt said

“I am delighted that we have the opportunity to support Just a Ball Game? Discrimination of any kind has no place in football and I hope that the presence of the new advertising boards at the ground and the advertisements in the programme will serve as a gentle reminder to both home and away supporters that it will not be tolerated. I am particularly pleased that we are becoming only the second club in the UK to display a permanent advert for the Just a Ball Game? campaign. The news story regarding Hyde FC’s support for the campaign was what originally lead me to contact Lindsay England  from JBG?, and I would like to think that this story will similarly inspire another football club. It’s time that we all started speaking out against the institutionalised homophobia in football, much as people began to speak out about racism all those years ago”.

AFC Rushden & Diamonds have already launched a “Think Before You Chant” Campaign which encourages fans to use imagination and wit instead of homophobic, racist or sexist language on the terraces.

Just a Ball Game? hope to see other football clubs adopting this dual strategy, It is one thing to have a clause against discriminatory behaviour in your ground rules, but AFC Rushden and Diamonds show what clubs can do pro-actively to support the Respect campaign. They have put real action behind their signing of The Charter for Action, Tackling Homophobia and Transphobia in Sport.


JBG? would like to thank all Ralph, John and all @AFCRD for making us so welcome and showing what can be done to promote diversity and challenge homophobia in football.






Contact for further information:

Founding Director -Lindsay England
info.justaballgame@yahoo.com 


                ©

Sunday, September 16, 2012

AFC RUSHDEN AND DIAMONDS TEAM UP WITH JUST A BALL GAME?

AFC Rushden & Diamonds Think before you chant!

AFC Rushden & Diamonds are launching a “think before you chant” campaign at next week’s United Counties League Cup match against Wellingborough Whitworth on Tuesday 18th September
The Diamonds have teamed up with two national campaigns “Just A Ball Game?” and “Kick It Out which tackles homophobia and racism respectively within football.
Supporting the club in this initiative is local company Creation Signs who have generously donated a pitchside board for each of the campaigns and are sponsoring the match on Tuesday.
Just A Ball Game
Lindsay England, Founding Director of Just A Ball Game? which is a campaign group which challenges issues with homophobia and anti-gay prejudice and helps raise awareness around the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, stated:
“We are delighted to have this welcome support from AFC Rushden & Diamonds and are very much looking forward to being part of the club’s respect programme of events this month, and the steps the club are taking to tackle issues around homophobia which sadly still exist in the game at all levels.”
Kick it Out – RESPECT
The anti-racism campaign is well known throughout the football world and is designed to  challenge discrimination and encourage inclusive practices and work for positive change.
Think before you chant
Chairman Ralph Burditt felt the two campaigns should be brought under the one umbrella and the club have had a number of signs manufactured to ask fans to think about what they are saying/chanting.
I am delighted that we have the opportunity to support Just a Ball Game?, Kick It Out and the RESPECT campaign. Discrimination of any kind has no place in football and I hope that the presence of the new advertising boards at the ground and the advertisements in the programme will serve as a gentle reminder to both home and away supporters that it will not be tolerated. I am particularly pleased that we are becoming only the second club in the UK to display a permanent advert for the Just a Ball Game? campaign. The news story regarding Hyde FC’s support for the campaign was what originally lead me to contact Lindsay from JBG?, and I would like to think that this story will similarly inspire another football club. It’s time that we all started speaking out against the institutionalised homophobia in football, much as people began to speak out about racism all those years ago.