Former England striker Emile Heskey attends Shrewsbury Town‘s clash with Cheltenham Town - here’s why
Former England striker Emile Heskey has made an appearance at Shrewsbury Town for their game against Cheltenham Town.
It comes after Salop became one of the first clubs to adopt the Football Safety App, an incident-reporting platform.
The free-to-download app is supported by former Liverpool and Aston Villa forward Heskey as part of an ongoing commitment to tackling abuse in football.
The app is designed to address the growing problem of abusive behaviour both online and inside stadiums. Through it, fans, players and families can report incidents quickly and anonymously.
Heskey said the reaction since its launch had been “overwhelming”, with strong interest from clubs across the Premier League and Football League.
“But talk alone isn’t enough,” he said.
"It’s not just about discrimination. Players, referees, coaches, families and fans are all affected.
“Shrewsbury Town formally signing up shows real leadership and a willingness to act.
“We can’t keep saying abuse is unacceptable and then keep doing nothing about it. This is how change starts, and I hope others now follow their lead."
The system is being used for the first time during Salop’s clash with Cheltenham Town today (March 14) and aligns with the club’s support for both the Unite for Access and Her Game Too campaigns.
By joining the platform, supporters, officials and the club can report abuse wherever it occurs - in stadiums, fan zones, pubs, on public transport, at grassroots matches and online.
John Rhodes, senior safeguarding manager and EDI lead at Shrewsbury Town, welcomed the partnership.
He said: “We are delighted to bring the Football Safety App to Shrewsbury Town.
“This pioneering software gives our supporters a simple and efficient way to report any incidents connected to the club, and we are confident it will become part of the matchday experience.
“We are proud to be among the first clubs leading the way in making football safer and more enjoyable for everyone.
“Our aim is to ensure reporting is simple, accessible and effective, and this app makes that possible.
“Launching it on our Unite for Access and Her Game Too matchday feels especially fitting.”
