Wolves and Manchester City will support the FA’s safeguarding campaign Play Safe when the two clubs meet at Molineux on Saturday.
Wolves focus on safeguarding all year round, but this weekend will highlight the importance of safeguarding within the national game, alongside clubs throughout the Premier League, EFL, Barclays Women’s Super League and Barclays Women’s Championship and the grassroots game.
At Molineux, former Man City youth footballer Gary Cliffe will help Wolves mark the occasion by handing tailor-made safeguarding armbands to both captains pre-match.
Cliffe has previously opened up about the abuse he suffered during his youth career and is now committed to ensuring football is a safe environment for all players, sitting on the FA’s Survivor Support and Safeguarding Advisory Group (FASSSAG) to raise the profile of safeguarding within football.
On Saturday he’ll be joined by Wolves’ pathways manager Steve Davis, who is Cliffe’s brother-in-law and was playing during the same era. He also many ex-colleagues that were affected by the historical abuse highlighted in the Sheldon Report, which was commissioned by the FA after survivors bravely came forward in November 2016.
Speaking ahead of Saturday, Cliffe said: “I am pleased to be able to support Wolves’ Play Safe contributions. Never again can this happen within the game we all love. It is everybody’s responsibility to safeguard children and report concerns.”
As well as Cliffe’s visit to Molineux, Wolves have supported the Play Safe campaign in a variety of ways, including partnering with Crimestoppers to share resources and messages in the Fan Zone and around Molineux.
The club have also partnered with Mind of My Own, who are experts in authentically capturing the voices of children and young people. Mind of My Own’s SHOUT survey will anonymously collect responses from young players to help inform changes to practice.
Furthermore, Wolves will work alongside the Premier League to launch a safeguarding app for all matchday staff to help be consistent with practice and deliver the best support to all children, young people and adults at risk attending all fixtures.
At Saturday’s game, Gary O’Neil and his first-team staff will wear Play Safe pin badges and Wolves supporters can educate themselves on various safeguarding policies at wolves.co.uk and complete free safeguarding training via thefa.com.
Adult victims and survivors of childhood abuse within a football context can access information about the support available to them through the NSPCC football helpline on 0800 023 2642. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) can also be contacted by calling 0808 801 0331.
