Month: September 2022

We’re backing Play Safe


Shildon AFC is lending its full support to Play Safe – an ongoing national campaign led by The FA to raise awareness of the importance of safeguarding in football.

Although it runs throughout the year, Play Safe really comes to the fore over football’s National Safeguarding Weekend, which this year is 1st & 2nd October 2022.  The main focus this year is on parents and carers, with two key messages to convey:

 – Awareness of the vital safeguarding role parents/carers play in football; and

 – Encouragement to take the short, new and free online safeguarding course that’s been created specifically for parents/carers. You can access the course here.

Importantly, encouragement to take the new course has come from FASSSAG – The FA’s Survivor Support and Safeguarding Advisory Group:

“We have inputted into the course and helped frame its key messages from our collective experiences. It’s vitally important to us that every parent/carer understands they role they need to play in football. Taking this course can make a real difference – we are asking every parent/carer to commit to help ensure football is ever-safer.”

The support of FASSSAG has been welcomed by FA Chief Executive Mark Bullingham, himself a parent and youth football coach. “The FASSSAG has been important in helping us create our new strategy moving forwards and we really appreciate their input into the new course.  I have taken the new course and encourage all parents/carers across football to take it too.

“Ultimately, safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. We all need to ensure that everyone involved in football – particularly children and young people – has a consistently safe and positive experience of our great game.  Play Safe reminds everyone of that responsibility and keeps safeguarding front of mind, which is exactly where it should be.”

Play Safe is being run in partnership with the NSPCC and has the full backing of the Premier League, EFL, Barclays Women’s Super League and Barclays Women’s Championship. It’s also supported and being run across every other level of the game.

Shildon AFC Management Team Departs

Following an indifferent start to the season, Shildon AFC regrettably have relieved the Management Team of Jamie Tunstall and Deano Browne from their duties at the Club.

Alex White and Chay Liddle have been installed as Interim Player Managers and they will be supported by former player and Middlesbrough FC Academy Coach, Chris Hughes. Club Captain Ben Trotter will also support in the interim.

The Club would like to place on record their thanks to Jamie and Deano for their professionalism and hard work since joining the Club in the Summer and we wish them every success in the future.