Club recognised for diversity and inclusion work

Tottenham Hotspur has tonight been honoured with the Professional Game Award at the first ever Football v Homophobia Awards held at Altrincham FC.

The Club was nominated alongside AFC Bournemouth and Charlton Athletic in the category, which recognises professional football clubs who have shown dedication to improving the landscape of football for LGBTQ+ people and who have worked in numerous ways to create better inclusion and participation of LGBTQ+ people at all levels of football.

Our Ambassador, Ledley King, accepted the award on behalf of the Club at the Moss Rose Ground, joined by members of our LGBTQ+ Supporters’ Association, Proud Lilywhites.

Proud Lilywhites Co-Chair Chris Paouros also picked up the FvH Hero award.

Since its formation in 2014, Proud Lilywhites has worked closely with the Club on a range of initiatives to engage Tottenham Hotspur’s LGBTQ+ fanbase, its staff and partners – most recently, we illuminated our iconic new stadium in rainbow colours to celebrate Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign in December.

Within the Club’s local community, the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation has employed an LGBTQ+ Co-Ordinator to deliver youth groups, inclusive sports sessions and educational activities within schools to promote diversity and inclusion.

Proud Lilywhites themselves were also nominated in the Supporters’ Group category at the awards.

The group, whose signature rainbow flag is regularly seen at home matches, have also held LGBTQ+ awareness training for Club staff and matchday stewards, and football sessions for its members have been delivered by the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation.

For more than a decade, Football v Homophobia has celebrated the hard work and campaigning to make football a more welcoming place for LGBTQ+ people.

This year, the awards have been introduced in England and Wales to recognise and acknowledge best practice on LGBTQ+ inclusion.