Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Leeds Met and Yorkshire Terriers FC tackle homophobia
Leeds Met hosted the game between Leeds Met Carnegie FC v Yorkshire Terriers FC on Saturday 5 April which took place at the University's Headingley Campus.
Leeds Metropolitan University is currently ranked 168th in the Stonewall definitive list of Britain's most gay-friendly workplaces leaping 61 places since 2013. The rankings showcase the achievements of employers submitting to the Workplace Equality Index with Leeds Metropolitan University's plan to rank in the top 100 UK employers by 2015.
BSc (Hons) Sport Coaching students were tasked with planning, coordinating and delivering a fixture as part of their course. Student Laurie Griffin, who has been coaching the team, commented: "Football is a universal game and no matter where you come from, your beliefs or the language you speak it is a game that can bring people together without prejudice. Leeds Metropolitan University football team is honoured to have supported an event which promotes equality within sport and the local community."
Leeds Metropolitan University Senior Football Coach, John Hall, added: "Having met with Jim Hearson from Yorkshire Terriers, we both agreed that we primarily wanted to play a game. Our student club was really keen to go ahead with a fixture and show their support for and raise awareness of the Terriers as a club, whilst promoting the Football Against Homophobia campaign. The game also provided an opportunity for our students to get involved in organisational side of things too and I see no reason for the fixture not to become a permanent one in the calendar."
Yorkshire Terriers were one of the first gay-friendly teams to be founded in the UK in 1997 and play in the national Gay Football Supporters' Network (GFSN) league, the only one of its kind in the world. The club has been working with West Riding FA and a number of professional teams to help battle homophobia.