Millwall publish ‘Pride playbook’ to help clubs form stronger links with LGBTQ+ teams

Millwall have published a first-of-its-kind “Pride playbook” to help football clubs form stronger partnerships with LGBTQ+ teams across the country. The move comes during Pride month as the Lions seek to build on the success of their teams, Millwall Romans and Millwall Pride, and help extend the reach of LGBTQ+ inclusive football amid growing demand. The playbook encourages partnership between existing clubs and aspiring teams, creating an identity within the club for that team and ensuring there is a driven coach and an internal champion. The 78-page playbook also includes three “don’ts” when facing pushback “from people who don’t like or don’t understand change”: don’t debate endlessly; don’t wait for everyone to agree; don’t dilute the idea. The development of Millwall Romans and, subsequently, Millwall Pride (who function as a reserve team) has been led by Sean Daly, the chief executive of the Millwall community trust, who began by forging a partnership with an existing team, London Romans. Daly said club and team were asking the same question: “How do we create a safe environment where people can feel comfortable being who they are?” Daly found Romans were “very aligned with what we do. They’re very community based. They’re very much around inclusivity. …