Football is family, where everyone is welcome

SRFC has chosen to get behind the FA’s campaign as a symbol of unity.

The FA have a focus for August on South Asian Heritage – our newly appointed EDI Officer, Megan Ratcliffe, joined a webinar hosted by Anwar Uddin MBE to listen to some key figures discussing their own experiences that highlight where they have faced difficulties as a result of their heritage, so that focus areas can be addressed and growth can come from change. Megan reflects on the webinar:

“From grassroots, to Premier League, there is growing representation from players on South Asian Heritage but this has only come from those before them paving the way – I listened to the brief history of Jack Cother for Watford FC in 1898, as the first known Asian football player, who was also quite the fan favourite – his family still attend games today. I also heard from Shin Aujla, Director of the Shrewsbury Town Foundation, as well as Sabah Mahmood, from Leighton Orient Women’s Football and Paul Kirton, a youth girls coach in the Northeast. The left-back for EFL League Two club Shrewsbury Town, Malvind Singh ‘Mal’ Benning, discussed his own experience as a Sikh male in football, known for being the first South Asian player to score at Wembley, in the bitter-sweet play-off final against his old club Mansfield Town, when he played for Port Vale. What was clear from the inspirational stories shared was the importance of inclusivity in sport.”

Did you know that 6.9% of the UK population is of South Asian heritage? Of that, almost 5 million people, 6.5% of people play FA-sanctioned football, which is around 325,000 people – that is double the population of Stafford!

For our Tuesday 19th August home fixture v Congleton Town, KO 7.45pm, Megan will be hosting an event in line with the Hindu celebration of Rakhsha Bandhan, reflecting bonds of allyship and respect. We would love for our fans to get behind this campaign with us!

We will be hosting a hospitality event in the Chairman’s suite, with a “taste of culture” matchday menu for fans with a meal of curry, chips and mini naan with sides of samosas and onion bhajis, served with traditional tea and biscuits afterwards. The cost is £10 per person, and you can book a ticket by calling Roy Sales on 07921 943112

Megan has also organised a half-time performance by a traditional, classical dance group from Stafford, in addition to activities for fans to get involved in, such as a “tie of unity”, which represents support for protected inclusivity, not only between families, but for friends and fans alike.

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