Tuesday’s game against Ipswich Town is the club’s chosen Rainbow Laces game.
The EFL and its clubs are again coming together to support Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign with the clear message that football is for everyone.
From last weekend until Monday, December 13th, EFL Clubs will support the campaign with specific match-day activity including rainbow-coloured corner flags, captain armbands and substitution board stickers.
Charlton were awarded the Football v Homophobia award this year and have a variety of additional activity going on, including:
- A feature on the Proud Valiants, the club’s LGBTQI+ supporters group, in the club’s matchday programme
- An interview with a member of the Proud Valiants on CharltonTV
- Rainbow artwork incorporated into matchday programme, big screen activity, social media and CharltonTV production
- A social media feature on first team player, Adam Matthews, meeting Gary Ginnaw, who plays for Charlton Invicta, the club’s LGBTQI+ friendly affiliated football team
- Players from Charlton Invicta and other LGBTQI+ friendly teams pre-match photo
The theme for this year’s campaign is ‘Lace Up and Speak Up’ to encourage fans to speak up on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community.
The EFL and clubs will also be using Rainbow Laces weekends to re-emphasise their ‘Together Against Discrimination’ match-day messaging which was launched at the start of the season.
And as part of the campaign, the EFL will host its inaugural LGBTQ+ Fans’ Forum on Monday, December 6th, providing all 72 Clubs with a platform to discuss how football can become more inclusive.
The event will be hosted by Sky Sports’ Mark McAdam and will include a panel of industry representatives.
EFL Chief Executive, Trevor Birch, said: “I am delighted that we are hosting our first-ever LGBTQ+ Fans’ Forum as part of the EFL’s Rainbow Laces activity this year.
“Both the League and its 72 Clubs are committed to inclusion and this special Fans’ Forum will allow us celebrate the diversity of our fanbase, while simultaneously exploring with fans how we can enhance the EFL experience for the LGBTQ+ community.
“During the Rainbow Laces period, our clubs will once again dedicate their match-days in support of this year’s ‘Lace Up and Speak Up’ theme which seeks to remind fans that every positive conversation helps us reinforce the message that football is everyone’s game.”
The club has run a Football v Homophobia-themed matchday in each of the last five seasons and this season, and for the first time Chartlon Athletic Women will also host a themed matchday on the same weekend as part of Football v Homophobia's month of action.
Charlton Athletic men’s team will host AFC Wimbledon at The Valley on Saturday, February 5th, while Charlton Athletic women’s team will host a dedicated matchday at the Oakwood against Watford on Sunday, February 6th.
The themed matchdays will be run in conjunction with the Proud Valiants.