Football bodies launch free toolkit to help fans create LGBTQ+ supporters’ groups
"If you've ever thought about starting a group at your club, whatever level of the football pyramid it plays at, this toolkit was made for you," said Cass Hyde from Pride in Football
By Aaron Sugg
The Football Supporters’ Association and Pride in Football have launched the LGBTQ+ Supporters’ Group Toolkit to help football fans and players set up their own networks.
The free guide is aimed at supporters at any level of the football pyramid who want to create or develop an LGBTQ+ supporters’ group.
Drawing on more than a decade of experience since the first LGBTQ+ supporters’ groups were established in 2013, the LGBTQ+ Supporters’ Group Toolkit aims to help continue that momentum.
The guide includes advice on:
- Setting up a group, including meetings with clubs, branding and logos.
- Building a social media presence and attracting members.
- Organising matchday events and taking part in campaigns such as Football v Homophobia’s Month of Action, Premier League With Pride and the EFL Rainbow Ball.
- Promoting trans inclusion and wider inclusive practices.
- Governance, funding, grants, ambassadors, regional partnerships, awards and media coverage.
With more than 50 active groups supporting clubs across England, Scotland and Wales, the toolkit includes real-world examples of LGBTQ+ supporters’ group success stories. Rainbow Devils (Manchester United), Rainbow Blades (Sheffield United), Proud Lilywhites (Tottenham Hotspur) and Pride of Irons (West Ham United) all feature.
The toolkit was created by a volunteer working group with support from Pride in Football and the FSA’s Fans for Diversity campaign, run jointly with Kick It Out.
What can happen when LGBTQ+ footballer supports come together?
Nilesh Chauhan and Hannah Kumari, Fans for Diversity Campaign Managers, said in a news release: “This project and the finished product demonstrate what football supporters can achieve when they work together.”
“The Football Supporters’ Association is proud to have partnered with Pride in Football to create a toolkit that will support existing LGBTQ+ supporters’ groups and those looking to establish new ones. By capturing and building on more than a decade of progress, this resource helps ensure a strong and sustainable future for LGBTQ+ supporters’ groups.”
Cass Hyde, Campaigns Officer for Pride in Football and Co-Chair of Rainbow Devils, said: “LGBTQ+ supporters’ groups come in all shapes and sizes, each with its own priorities, which reflect its own club, community and members.”
Who is the LGBTQ+ Supporters’ Group Toolkit for?
He stressed that this is a toolkit and not a manual, giving groups, both old and new, the opportunity to grow in their own way.
“If you’ve ever thought about starting a group at your club, whatever level of the football pyramid it plays at, this toolkit was made for you!”
The toolkit is free to download via the official Pride in Football website.