Posted on 3rd February 2014
FSA affiliates and LGBT+ group at Sheffield United, the Rainbow Blades, have launched a campaign to help fans become ‘allies’ of their fellow supporters.
A Derby To Be Proud Of
This is a story from the FSF archive – the FSF and SD merged to become the FSA in 2019.
Before this weekend’s fixture fans from both sides of the Tyne-Wear divide called for “passion not poison” when it came to the derby. Now the game has taken place this joint statement from A Love Supreme, Newcastle United Supporters’ Trust, nufc.com, NUFC Fans United, Ready To Go, Roker Report, Seventy3, #time4change, The Mag, True Faith, and Wise Men Say, provides a summary of fans’ experiences on the day:
“In the build-up to the Tyne-Wear derby fans from both sides got together to try and make this fixture ‘A Derby To Be Proud Of’.
“Post-game feedback from both individual fans and the fans’ groups/fanzines who backed the campaign has been positive.
“As Northumbria Police acknowledged the vast majority of fans were good-natured, patient, and well behaved.
“The match-going fans we’ve spoken to also praised the police for their approach calling it fair and proportionate.
“This shows the benefits of fan engagement and fans from both sides hope to develop that in future seasons.”
