Footballers and football fans get a lot of stick in the UK. Sometimes I understand that. The 80s have a long legacy.
But often it's snobbery, intended or not.
I'm not surprised that Marcus Rashford & Raheem Sterling are standing up for the vulnerable and doing it "eloquently".
But often it's snobbery, intended or not.
I'm not surprised that Marcus Rashford & Raheem Sterling are standing up for the vulnerable and doing it "eloquently".
I'm not surprised that Jordan Henderson worked to organise #PlayersTogether to donate to the NHS long before Matt Hancock took a jab.
I'm not surprised that Ben Mee and the squad at my club, @BurnleyOfficial, have been donating to the local foodbank and calling vulnerable fans.
I'm not surprised that Ben Mee and the squad at my club, @BurnleyOfficial, have been donating to the local foodbank and calling vulnerable fans.
I know that most, if not all, other clubs have similar stories and won't be surprised by any of these stories I read.
For all the show and farce that is the Premier League (and sometimes the leagues below), football – like most sports – is fundamentally about community.
For all the show and farce that is the Premier League (and sometimes the leagues below), football – like most sports – is fundamentally about community.
I support Burnley because of my family, my community. Almost a quarter of the town's population goes on the match every other weekend.
All my life, Burnley has been one of the most deprived towns in the country.
The fans collect for the foodbank before the match.
All my life, Burnley has been one of the most deprived towns in the country.
The fans collect for the foodbank before the match.
The club does lots of health and social work in the community, making up for the gaps in provision after a decade of cuts we couldn't handle to begin with.
When I was a teenager, Burnley was known for racism and the club did a lot with Kick It Out, recognising the power it had.
When I was a teenager, Burnley was known for racism and the club did a lot with Kick It Out, recognising the power it had.
None of this is perfect. Not all footballers are perfect, not all football fans are. We can always do more.
(I'm not going to get into football in the 70s and 80s – partly because it's a long discussion and partly because it was 30+ years ago and things have changed)
(I'm not going to get into football in the 70s and 80s – partly because it's a long discussion and partly because it was 30+ years ago and things have changed)
I *am* saying that, if you've been surprised at footballers "doing well" recently, maybe you should ask yourselves why. For all the money at the top end, football is a sport that is mostly played and watched by the working class.
Why are you surprised that, in a time of crisis, they would try to help their communities? Why are you surprised to find out that many of them have been doing it all along?
I'm proud of the work my club does but I know we're not unusual.
I'm proud of the work my club does but I know we're not unusual.
I'll take the mick out of Blackburn Rovers while there is breath left in my body but I know they do a lot of community work that's badly needed. Same goes for Leeds United.
What Marcus Rashford, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson, and *many* others are doing is not surprising.
What Marcus Rashford, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson, and *many* others are doing is not surprising.
I know other sports do a lot too. I don't want to make it a competition.
I just wanted to add some thoughts about football because I have seen a lot of people express "surprise" about some of the stuff I've talked about here and it bothers me – it has always bothered me.
I just wanted to add some thoughts about football because I have seen a lot of people express "surprise" about some of the stuff I've talked about here and it bothers me – it has always bothered me.
And there are other issues here, of course. The young black men in the current England team have done incredible work addressing racism in football. Nobody should endure what they have experienced and the grace with which they have handled it blows my mind.
But I want to address the class issue because that's where I have some experience. I can only speak for myself.
The sense of joy and community and anticipation I get walking down the road to Turf Moor is the same as I've had on match day in Cardiff or at cricket test matches.
The sense of joy and community and anticipation I get walking down the road to Turf Moor is the same as I've had on match day in Cardiff or at cricket test matches.
Sport can be a brilliant thing. At its best, it brings us together across all kinds of different backgrounds and identities. It's wonderful and it's one of the reasons I love it.
But I think sometimes, some of us forget that it applies to football too.
But I think sometimes, some of us forget that it applies to football too.
That's all. I'm not expecting some papers and sites to stop their bullshit focus on certain players.
But I'd like to hope that more sports fans generally recognise that football is not what it was 30 years ago and does important stuff every day, not just during a pandemic.
But I'd like to hope that more sports fans generally recognise that football is not what it was 30 years ago and does important stuff every day, not just during a pandemic.
Oh and you should write to your MP to support @MarcusRashford's campaign to feed children living in poverty until the government does something about this enormous, preventable, heartbreaking problem itself.
Okay I'm going to add this because I think it makes a nice final point. I've seen City and Liverpool tweet in support of Marcus Rashford now. For all that it's tribal, football sometimes shows it understands the broader community and it's great to see.
