The Campaign

Show Racism the Red Card is part of the FARE (Football Against Racism in Europe) network.

Show Racism the Red Card is an anti-racist charity (registered charity
no: 1079069) which was established in January 1996 with the aim of using
Professional footballers as anti-racist role models. Although racism is
on the decline in professional football, it is unfortunately on the increase
in British and indeed European society. The aim of our campaign is to
combat racism through anti-racist education and professional footballers
are showing the way in terms of making a stand and fighting racism.

Thecampaign has been able to involve hundreds of top footballers and
managers, and has harnessed the high profile of these role models to
combat racism.

We produce a number of educational resources including: films, DVD, education
packs, posters and magazines. The Show Racism The Red Card film on VHS
or DVD and education pack is available for £20 including p&p;
via post: PO Box 141, Whitley Bay, NE26 3YH; or fax: 0191 297 1555.

Our posters and magazines are free. Send an A4 SAE with £1.80 worth
of stamps for 22 posters or £0.60 worth of stamps for a magazine.
You can also download a picture of your favourite team as a screen-saver.
Show Racism the Red Card run a UK-wide School Competition annually, pupils
enter anti-racist artwork, poetry, short stories or their own videos.
Please refer to the Schools section of the site for details on this year's competition.

An introduction by Shaka Hislop

In a year that has seen the passing of some true 'greats' of the English
game, George Best, Ron Greenwood, and most recently Peter Osgood, I can't
help but wonder what exactly made these men stand out from the rest? What
did they have that the rest of us mere mortals don't? I could come up
with only one answer, an acceptance that being just 'good' wasn't enough.
This to me, as a professional myself, is exactly what makes this game
'great'.

But then there are 'the -not-so-greats' of our game. Racism in the Spanish
game has reared its ugly head yet again. Recently the Barcelona and
Cameroon star Samuel Eto'o had to be restrained from leaving the pitch
at Real Zaragoza after persistent racist taunts and chants from
sections of the home support. The debate about racism in sport and
particularly in Spanish football was played out in the world's media.

It seemed like yesterday when we were doing just that after every black
English player was greeted by monkey chants while representing their
country in a friendly international against Spain at the Bernabau, in
addition the Spanish coach Aragones allegedly made some particularly
distasteful comments to Antonio Reyes about his black team-mate Thierry
Henry. It was left to Spanish football executive Mr.Villars to defend
Aragones and the Spanish game.

Again after this latest incident it was left to Villars to defend the indefensible. He said on racism- "you keep it in the football family, it is only a minority problem and it is a negative, we should concentrate on the positives of football", which some may argue is good enough.

Football truly is a family, a family in which we all have our roles, we all have
our responsibilities, whether you're a player, a fan an official or an
administrator, whether you support a big club or you're in love with
your home-town club, whether you play Sunday league or you watch
football on a Sunday down your local pub. Each member of this family
has a responsibility to each other and that is to make this family
better, happier, to make the whole family great. If there is one thing
we can learn from the legends left by Best, Greenwood and Osgood it is
never accept 'good enough' when 'great' is within our reach.

As I write, SRTRC are happy to announce an increase in government funding
to continue their work here in England, Scotland and also in Denmark.
As proud an achievement in recognition of our work as that is, far more
importantly it shows the family are working hard to make each other
even better. It is a resounding recognition of this game's greats and
the lessons they have taught us. Great is very much within our reach.

By Shaka Hislop

Goal (poetry)

Goal (one word we all understand)
We all speak different languages

Some you cant understand

Some use broken English Some sign with their hands

We got pattwa, slang, Creole and pigeon
You got accents from countries with bits of English missing

But travel the world and most places you go
When the ball hits the back of the net

Everybody shouts
GOAL!!!!(c)

Elljay
Pitchprose.org
2004