SRTRC NLTR ELECTRONIC 3/12/08 10:02 AM Page 1 SRTRC NLTR ELECTRONIC 3/12/08 10:02 AM Page 2 Introduction by Ged Grebby Show Racism the Red Card, PO Box 141, Welcome to the third newsletter of Show Whitley Bay, NE26 3YH. Tel: 0191 257 8519. Racism the Red Card (UK) for 2007. We have Fax: 0191 257 8541. www.theredcard.org just had the most successful Fortnight of Action in our history with an incredible number of actions and events taking place COVER PIC: Barcelona FC’s Samuel Eto’o demonstrates his support for the campaign. around the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) action fortnight (16th - 30th October). To keep this newsletter concise have had to edit the reports, but it contains some of the highlights. Full reports appear on our websites. With over 300 actions taking place in Scotland alone it is impossible to mention all of the events, so apologies in advance for anything missed out! Since our last newsletter we have interviewed a whole range of top players and managers for our new videos: Thierry Henry, Lilian Thuram, Samuel Eto’o, Gareth Southgate, Ryan Giggs, Wes Brown, Brian McClair, Gordon Taylor, Robert Earnshaw, Danny Gabbidon, Leroy Rosenior, Freddy Eastwood, Jermaine Easter, Gareth Bale, Shola Ameobi, Sam Allardyce, Lee Clark, Obafemi Martins, Geremi, Rio Ferdinand, Darren Fletcher, Louis Saha, Jermain Defoe, Aaron Lennon and Dimitar Berbatov. Interviews are also set to take place at Portsmouth, Sunderland, Arsenal and Chelsea Football Clubs. We are also planning a trip to Scotland to interview Rangers and Celtic players. We are working on three films: The first SRTRC event at Arsenal FC’s Emirates Stadium. 1. An updated version of our main Show Racism the Red Card education DVD. 2. A film produced in conjunction with the international players’ union on the history of racism in the game. FIFPro aims to use this video to help spread the anti-racist message Internationally. 3. A new film to combat Islamophobia. Finally, this season we have produced posters with more football clubs than ever before. Over 90 different football club posters have been printed and more and more clubs are joining up with our campaign to promote an anti-racist message. Young people enjoy their trip to Peterborough FC. 2 SHOW RACISM THE RED CARD SRTRC NLTR ELECTRONIC 3/12/08 10:03 AM Page 3 Campaign in WALES by Sunil Patel Welsh Campaign Co-ordinator Here in Wales the campaign has gained tremendous support over the past 6 months as our message has been taken into schools, football academies and the Welsh Premier League. coming months delivering football coaching alongside educational workshops. Wales and Tottenham star Gareth Bale was among the players from the Wales football squad who took time out during a training session to talk about their experiences of racism for our upcoming DVD. The new season has seen us take our football club events into the Welsh Premier League with The New Saints FC becoming the first club ever to have hosted an event from the WPL. We have also hosted an event with Porthmadog FC and a number of clubs from the league have expressed an interest on what has been a great response to our work. Both Cardiff City FC and Wrexham FC hosted their second football club event within a year, with both events attended by very special guests. Our event at Wrexham was attended by Malcolm Russell from Wrexham Council who took questions from the children, while our event at Sunil Patel interviews Gareth Bale for the forthcoming Cardiff City event was attended by the Minister for SRTRC DVD. Heritage Rhodri Glyn Thomas along with club chairman The end of May saw the winners of our schools Peter Ridsdale. Both guests took questions from the competition meet the Wales football squad prior to their audience and also in attendance were Cardiff City first European Qualifier against the Czech Republic. Our team players Trevor Sinclair and Glenn Loovens. winners watched the players during their training Finally, our campaign received a boost with the Sports sessions arranged by the FAW. Council for Wales contributing £20,000 over two years and the Football Association of Wales who have decided With the footballers taking a break during the summer, to grant £10,000 towards our work in Wales, this along our message was delivered to Cricket fans as Glamorgan with continued support of the Welsh Football Trust in Cricket Club gave out 2,500 posters to fans in Colwyn Bay providing our office in Wales, has helped the progression and Cardiff during their home games. It was the first of our work in Wales. time we had a Cricket team involved in our campaign and demonstrates the importance of using other sports to If you would like to be involved with the campaign in spread the anti-racism message. Wales, please email me at [email protected] Our anti-racism educational workshops were delivered in Wrexham during the Tapestry of Life and Faith Festival weeks arranged by Wrexham Council - the festival celebrates diversity of cultures and faiths and many schools in the area took part. Our workshops were delivered to two local schools and we handed out posters of the Wales football squad along with our campaign resources. The Football in the Community department at Merthyr Tydfil FC arranged for us to deliver a workshop to their young academy players prior to their training session, and the club have remained pro-active with their support. We held our very first schools coaching in Wales as the campaign brought the anti racism message to schoolchildren in two areas of Cardiff. The pupils received coaching from former West Ham United and Charlton Athletic player Leroy Rosenior who has also managed at clubs such as Brentford and Torquay United. Leroy will be working in schools around Wales in the Wales striker Freddy Eastwood 'Shows Racism the Red Card’. NEWSLETTER 2007 3 SRTRC NLTR ELECTRONIC 3/12/08 10:03 AM Page 4 Campaign in SCOTLAND by Billy Singh Scottish Campaign Co-ordinator Phew! As I sit and write this we have had the most successful Fortnight of Action in Scotland ever. Over 300 actions all over Scotland culminating in our Weekend of Action on the 27th/28th October when all Scottish Premier League, Scottish Football League, Highland League and Scottish Cup 2nd Round matches participated in holding up our Red Cards prior to kick off to send out a clear message that racism has no place in football or society. One of the winners of our annual schools competition was OTHER NEWS match escort with Thierry Henry at the recent Champions League match between Rangers and Barcelona. For the first We have recently appointed ex professional footballers time we had a Red Card action at The Scottish Parliament Derek Ferguson and Brian Irvine as sessional coaches. with over 100 MSPs, including The First Minister and all They will deliver our educational workshops to schools other party leaders, taking part. Thanks to the support of and assist at our events throughout the year. We have The Scottish Government we expanded our grant scheme, agreements with 4 councils (North Ayrshire, Falkirk and which enabled us to engage with grassroots and community Inverclyde) to deliver our educational work to primary organisations throughout Scotland, from The Shetland Isles schools over the coming months. in the North to Dumfries and Galloway in the South. Show Racism the Red Card billboards were unveiled at Motherwell FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS FC and in partnership with UNISON at Stirling Albion FC. For We are looking into a pilot scheme for third party the first time the Scottish Women’s Premier League also got reporting of racist incidents in football stadia in involved. My only concern is how do we make it even partnership with Strathclyde Police. Work is well bigger and better next year! Answers on a postcard please. underway for our annual schools competition in Below is a summary of some of the activity that took partnership with The Educational Institute of Scotland and place during the fortnight of action and for further details we are in talks with the Scottish Junior Football please log onto our website. Association to work with their member clubs. MSPs unite against racism at the Scottish Parliament. 4 SHOW RACISM THE RED CARD SRTRC NLTR ELECTRONIC 3/12/08 10:03 AM Page 5 Celtic FC join the Fortnight of Action. FORTNIGHT OF ACTION minority ethnic communities and how best to tackle the issues raised. Queen of the South joined the Dumfries Supporters united against racism and Galloway International Women’s Network to Football grounds around Scotland witnessed anti-racist demonstrate support and provide assistance. The actions by the clubs, these actions were enhanced at Dumfries and Galloway Multi-cultural Association many grounds through the participation of fans groups launched a Youth Project, which will utilise football and and supporters trusts. The Arab Trust (Dundee United FC), music to tackle racism, members of the project are now The Bairns Trust (Falkirk FC), the Honest Men Trust (Ayr forming a football team with the help of Gretna FC. United FC), United Clydebank Supporters (Clydebank FC) During the fortnight, Love Music, Hate Racism launched a and the Killie Trust (Kilmarnock FC) all organised events free double album, which tackles racism head-on. This at their stadiums to educate local young people that album can be downloaded for free from there is no place for racism in football or society. Fan www.nme.com/lovemusichateracism. groups including the Green Brigade (Celtic FC) and the It is not possible to mention all the actions which took Red Ultras (Aberdeen FC) unfurled banners welcoming place this year, but it is clear that the anti-racist refugees and condemning racism.