Football Unites showed a united front with players, club staff and fans at the recent Sheffield United v Preston match on 25th October. The day marked United's contribution to the national 'One Game, One Community' Weeks of Action during which every club uses a home game to make clear its commitment to anti-racism.
Before the game, our staff and volunteers gave away around 2,500 anti-racist football stickers, posters and magazines to fans. These included a new 'Blades Against Racism' poster produced by FURD, and specially designed by Ashley Walker of turnandface.co.uk.
At half time, youngsters from Sharrow Junior School celebrated their victory in the recent schools' tournament organised by FURD by taking to the Bramall Lane pitch to carry round a 'One Game, One Community' banner. Young people from the Kickz scheme run by Sheffield United's United Initative and backed by FURD also paraded banners on the pitch.
Players warmed up in 'Kick Racism Out of Football' and 'One Game, One Community' t-shirts, there were several anti-racist features in the matchday programme and a series of anti-racist messages were regularly displayed on the electronic scoreboard. United's Chinese links were celebrated with a half time lion dance and a presentation before the game to the winner, King-Yee Cheung, of an anti-racist poster competition run by the United Initiative with children from the local Chinese community. A framed copy of the winning design was presented by United's Sun Jihai, the club's Kick It Out ambassador for the season.
A pdf of the 'Blades Against Racism' poster can be opened from this page. FURD has plenty more of the posters in stock so contact us if you'd like any copies.