A new free toolkit has been launched to help LGBTQ+ football fans establish, run and grow supporters’ groups at clubs across the UK.
The LGBTQ+ Supporter Group Toolkit has been produced by the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) and Pride in Football, bringing together more than a decade of experience from LGBTQ+ fan groups into a single resource.
Since the first LGBTQ+ supporters’ groups were formed in 2013, the movement has expanded to more than 50 active groups representing clubs across England, Scotland and Wales, as well as the UK’s national teams. The new guide is designed to support fans at every level of the football pyramid who are considering starting a group or developing an existing one.
The toolkit highlights the importance of LGBTQ+ supporters’ groups in creating welcoming spaces within football. As Derby County supporters’ group Rainbow Rams explains in the guide: “Our flag shows the next generation that they don't have to choose between who they love and the club they support.”
The resource covers a wide range of topics, including setting up a group, developing a name and logo, building a social media presence, 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 initiative.
It also includes guidance on trans inclusion, governance, fundraising, committee structures, media engagement and long-term growth.
The toolkit features case studies from established groups including Manchester United’s Rainbow Devils, Sheffield United’s Rainbow Blades, Tottenham Hotspur’s Proud Lilywhites and West Ham United’s Pride of Irons. It also provides practical templates for press releases, welcome emails and group rules.
The project was developed by a volunteer working group with support from Pride in Football and the FSA’s Fans for Diversity campaign, which is run in partnership with anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out.
Nilesh Chauhan and Hannah Kumari, campaign managers for Fans for Diversity, said: “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 the toolkit had been designed to recognise the diversity of LGBTQ+ supporters’ groups across the game.
“LGBTQ+ supporters’ groups come in all shapes and sizes, each with its own priorities, which reflect its own club, community and members,” Hyde said.
“That’s why this is a toolkit, not a manual; it gives groups, old and new, the expertise and support to grow in whatever direction they need. And 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 available free of charge. Fans interested in setting up or developing an LGBTQ+ supporters’ group can also access support through Pride in Football’s network of more than 50 groups and the FSA’s Fans for Diversity campaign and LGBTQ+ Hub.
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