'Show Racism the Red Card'
Sunday 16th October 2011
The Scottish Football League will show their support of ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ (SRtRC) for the eighth year running from today, Friday, 14th October and football players along with officials in the Scottish game are hoping that this period of concerted action encourages participation from all sections of the country’s communities to celebrate diversity.
A ‘Fortnight of Action’ (FoA) campaign will again slide tackle into racism and for the first time also look to shoulder charge sectarianism out of the way with SRtRC Campaign Manager, Bill Butler, saying: “We believe that it is vital to highlight the anti-sectarian message as well as the anti-racism message at this time. Recent incidents have once again highlighted the problem of sectarianism within our communities.
“During last year’s FoA, over 500 activities took place, with community initiatives growing in terms of diversity and reach. The actions involved all 42 SFL and SPL clubs, The Scottish Women’s Premier League and The Scottish Women’s Football League, junior and youth football teams, football fans, schools and young people nationwide, black, Asian and other minority ethnic led organisations and other community based organisations.”
Butler added: “We hope to build on the success of previous years and expand the number and quality of projects taking place during the fortnight. This will be the biggest and best ever FoA and we urge as many people to get involved as possible.
“SRtRC has become a brand in the same way that retailers have brands and people easily associate the visual images of the red cards and the aims. Once you have that, you have something fantastic to build on.”
Former MSP Butler is new to his job but has been a long term supporter of SRtRC aims saying: “I have been working for SRtRC for only seven and a half weeks but I am enjoying playing my part in getting the campaign message of ‘Equality and Respect’ across. Last season the campaign reached one quarter of a million people in Scotland and with two weeks of activity taking place now, we are looking to show through football that racism and sectarianism does not have a place in Scottish football.
“The campaign will provide a clear message that prejudice based on colour or creed is simply not acceptable across football grounds and elsewhere.”
After high profile campaigns in previous years, Butler was asked how success of the work in tackling racism and sectarianism is judged and he said: “Success is that the work keeps on growing and that we continue to use football players as role models and this year we have expanded the message to include sectarianism. These role models, such as Jim Duffy and Derek Ferguson, coach younger football players at various levels from grassroots up and non-footballers in classrooms. They also talk with hard to reach groups like Street Footballers.”
The work the SRtRC coaches do carries on throughout the year as opposed to just the next fortnight with Butler adding: “The next two weeks is really high profile and a lot of people will get to know what our message is however, the remaining 50 weeks is our bread and butter.”
The climate towards racism in Scotland has changed since the first campaign started and is even more markedly different to that of 20 years ago however, SRtRC is not prepared to let their guard down with Butler saying: “You can never be complacent and whilst you can easily speak of really high profile examples of racist football events that happened over 20 – 30 years ago, they are not so prevalent now. When you speak to coaches like Jim and Derek as well as other guys like Brian Irvine, Gary Mackay and Michael Weir, they will tell you it was very different in their day when some of their team-mates suffered terrible abuse. It was a very visible and serious problem but football and society has moved on.
“People who were no longer prepared to accept that someone should be abused because of the colour of their skin took a stand and things have improved but you cannot be complacent. That stand is now getting joined by a stand against bigotry.”
Butler continued: “The former First Minister, Jack McConnell, said that sectarianism was Scotland’s ‘secret shame’ and it was not so much a secret, it was just that people kept quiet about it. The Scottish Government, politicians and lots of people in Scotland have said enough is enough of these social ills.
“There must be a line drawn and more needs to be done to tackle sectarianism and a stand made for the people of Scotland.
SRtRC and football is not alone in leading the way with Butler explaining: “Work is being done along with other organisations and everyone accepts that these issues are not caused by football but are manifested in football. We all have to unite in the same manner as we did against racism.”
The Scottish Government are in the process of drafting legislation in the form of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill and Butler was keen to lend SRtRC’s backing to what is being proposed.
Butler said: “Obviously SRtRC supports the endeavours of the Scottish Government and Parliament in trying to bring in resolute legislation to combat these social ills. We are coming from it almost in reverse as we work on the preventative side and that is why a huge part of our work is carried out by young people.
“The sooner you get the message across that diversity is not something to be feared and that differences do not allow you to treat someone unfairly, the better. We have a drive through education to promote One Scotland, Many Cultures.”
Anton Fagan, Operations and Events Manager at The Scottish Football League advised what would be happening across the member clubs to show their support when he said: “The Show Racism the Red Card Fortnight of Action will take place from Friday 14th to Monday 31st October 2011. SRtRC are delighted that all SFL clubs will be taking action at a game within that time.
“This year’s FoA will take a stand against both racism and sectarianism and clubs will show their support in the same manner as they have done in previous years but with a few small additions including:-
- An article promoting the FoA and the club's involvement in the matchday programme and club website.
- Every club has appointed a FoA ambassador who will highlight the clubs support for the campaign.
- Clubs will include Show Racism and Bigotry the Red Card sticker transfers on their jerseys.
- Two of the tops worn by players during the FoA will be donated to SRtRC for fundraising purposes.
- A SRtRC armband is to be worn by either the club captain or club FoA ambassador.
This weekend sees Dundee, Falkirk, Morton, Albion Rovers, Brechin City, Cowdenbeath, Forfar Athletic, Stenhousemuir, Alloa Athletic, Annan Athletic, Clyde, Peterhead and Queen's Park involved in their red card fixture and both these home sides and their opponents will wear SRtRC t-shirts during the pre-match warm-up, their Manager and Coaches will don pin badges during the game and for any press and media interviews afterwards, the players will display a positive message prior to kick-off and this message will be supported by pre-match announcements.
Next weekend it will be the turn of home sides Ayr, Livingston, Partick Thistle, Raith Rovers, Ross County, Albion Rovers, Dumbarton and East Fife to show their support.