Rotherham United are incredibly proud to once again be highlighting the fantastic work carried out by Stonewall as we dedicate Tuesday night’s fixture with Gillingham at AESSEAL New York Stadium to the Rainbow Laces campaign, ahead of Rainbow Laces Day (Wednesday 8th December 2021).
At Rotherham United, we pride ourselves on making the football club a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone in our community can enjoy their time at AESSEAL New York Stadium.
Across Britain and the majority of the world, fantastic progress has been made to allow individuals to flourish and reach their full potential but there is still work to be done, as per Stonewall’s mantra, the work will not stop “until everyone feels free to be who they are, wherever they are.
Tuesday night's programme has a special Rainbow-themed cover and proudly sports the Rainbow Laces
The Millers are utilising Tuesday’s Sky Bet League One fixture with the Gills to showcase their support for the campaign and to raise awareness of the need to make the sport a game for everyone.
As always, players from both sides will have the option of outwardly displaying their support by lacing up their boots with Stonewall’s rainbow laces, with both captains donning multicoloured armbands for the fixture.
All four corners of AESSEAL New York Stadium will be adorned by rainbow coloured corner flags, as this year’s campaign aims to empower people to create change in their own communities.
In conjunction with our fantastic Community Sports Trust, Rotherham United are proud to be launching our LGBTQ+ and ally support group, Proud Millers on Tuesday 7th December, which will be located in the Community wing of AESSEAL New York Stadium.
We are delighted to have established a well-run and flourishing women’s team in recent years, – alongside our senior and Academy teams – with members of Rotherham United Women joining our Community team for a podcast which sees free tickets to the game with Steve Evans’ side handed out to those who attend the event.
Club Captain Richard Wood is one of many players at the club spearheading the first team’s efforts to battle discrimination and inequality in our society by taking a knee ahead of every first team game and the defender spoke to The New York Way on the important role football has to play in starting conversations on the need for everyone to feel like they have a voice.
“Equality and inclusivity are messages right at the forefront of everyone’s priorities at this football club both and off the pitch,” Wood explained.
Millers skipper Richard Wood has always championed campaigns supporting inclusivity and is once again backing the efforts by Stonewall
“As players, we want to use our platform for good and in this case, it is supporting the need to make everyone feel like they are free to be who they are and express themselves in our society.
“We will of course, continue to fully get behind important initiatives like Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign, as while these issues are being discussed, it keeps them at the forefront of everyone’s minds.
“I’m sure I speak on behalf of everyone here at Rotherham United when I say that everyone is welcome here at our football club and I would like to reiterate once again that we are determined to ensure that everyone enjoys spending their time here.”