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SHOW RACISM THE RED CARD CHARITY MATCH
St Johnstone staff vs Saints in the Community Mental Health team charity match for Show Racism the Red Card 2023!
Wednesday, October 25th saw Saints in the Community host the annual Show Racism the Red Card charity match at McDiarmid Park. Each year, the match takes place during Show Racism the Red Card’s Month of Action between St Johnstone FC staff and the Community Trust’s Mental Health & Wellbeing squad; all with the aim of raising awareness and showing support for Show Racism the Red Card.
The St Johnstone staff team included a mixture of Community Trust staff and Club staff, including former St Johnstone captain & Northern Ireland international player Danny Griffin, St Johnstone Women’s player Niamh Irvine, St Johnstone Head Chef Lynn Melrose, and fan-favourite Club groundsman Jordan Thomson!
The match proved to be a great spectacle with plenty of goals and action right from the start! The SJFC team got off to a flyer with Greg Taylor capitalising on a mistake at the back. The SJFC team kept up the early pressure, adding a second goal shortly after through Leah Sidey. Leah added her second and the SJFC teams third shortly after following a great cross into the box. The goals kept on coming for the SJFC team with Chloe Duncan picking up the teams forth goal, only minutes into her appearance. Unfortunately for the Mental Health & Wellbeing squad, the goals continued for the SJFC team with our Marketing & Fundraising assistant Josh Brown picking up a fifth from outside the box before our Sport & Wellbeing Officer, Niamh Irvine, slotted home a sixth shortly after. That would be the end of the scoring in what was a highly entertaining first half.
The Mental Health & Wellbeing squad came out flying after the first half break netting two goals in quick succession, minutes after the restart. Steven Mustard grabbed his hat trick shortly after reducing the deficit to 6-3. Game on! Unfortunately for the Mental Health team, the comeback would be short lived with Jordan Thomson picking up his first of the afternoon. The chances kept on coming for JT and he was able to notch his second goal shortly after before controversially having his hattrick strike ruled out!
The game would end shortly after, with the full-time result ending 8-3 to the SJFC team, bringing to the end a highly competitive afternoon of football.
Show Racism the Red Card is an anti-racism education charity which was established in January 1996 with the aim of utilising the high-profile nature of footballers as anti-racist role models to help try and educate against racism throughout society. To this day Show Racism the Red Card continues to portray the high-profile status of football and football players to help tackle racism within society.
Football stadiums and schools are not exempt from racism. Songs, chants, and shouts which target someone's skin colour, religion, nationality or culture are unacceptable. Play your part by reporting this behaviour and encourage your children to report this behaviour to an adult they trust.
Visiting over 1,000 pupils, each and every year, Saints in the Community’s Show Racism the Red Card workshops aims to educate children throughout Perth & Kinross on what racism and stereotypes are. We recently celebrated our 15th year of working in partnership with Perth & Kinross Council to deliver these education workshops to primary school pupils.