As the fourth One Pack Week comes to a close, wolves.co.uk looks at what the initiative has done in its attempts to make Molineux a more welcoming place for all and what still needs to improve for the future.
Throughout One Pack Week 2024, five Wolves supporters from a cross-section of backgrounds have discussed how their differences have not always made them feel welcome in football, but how – thankfully – times are changing. Although there is still a long way to go until the beautiful game truly is a safe space for all.
Wolves Women winger Destiney Toussaint, disability men’s first-team captain Daz James and supporters David, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and father and son duo Mahesh and Kian, who are of south Asian heritage, have shared what One Pack Week means to them and what they hope the future holds for the old gold’s equality, diversion and inclusion aims.
Click here to read part two of this three-part series celebrating One Pack Week.
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Mahesh: “One Pack Week really has helped increase inclusion and diversity at Wolves. The majority of fans embrace the ‘One Pack’ ethos of the club, although you do still get some people who comment on what the club puts out saying they should ‘stick to football’ and ‘don’t bring politics into it’, but the majority embrace it.”
David: “I think One Pack Week helps. If it raises the awareness of the issues which are present and puts them on the table, puts them on the agenda. If it does that, then it’s a positive thing. The writing on the hem at the bottom of the Wolves shirts says ‘Better Never Stops’ and I love that, because it means whatever has gone on, you’ve always got room to do better, whether that’s on the pitch or off the pitch.”
Daz: “I think anything the club does to shine a light on it really does help. After the game on the pitch, I got a lot of love on social media, but I also got three or four people contact me directly asking how they can get involved. Any exposure we can give, it just puts it out there for other people with a disability to know that they can do this – just like I did.”
Destiney: “When these events are on, people can see it, people can hear about it, and you can be it. As more of these types of things are on show and the more the club highlights the different areas of Wolves being welcoming to people of all characteristics, then it will only grow. If people want to get involved, then they can see that the opportunity is there and they can get involved themselves.”
David: “But we can always do more, we can always be more inclusive and one of the ways we need to get better at is LGBTQ+ representation. Wolves are one of a few clubs that doesn’t have a LGBTQ+ supporters’ group, so that’s perhaps the next step that we can take. There was an attempt to set one up about six years ago and there was an inaugural meeting, but it never progressed beyond that. It’s important that we have one, not just to tick a box and pat ourselves on the back, but it’s a case of having a need for this, so people who are proud to be from the community can be proud to be a Wolves fan.”
Mahesh: “Football has come such a long way since I was younger – it’s virtually there. I wouldn’t feel scared to allow my teenage daughters to come to the games on their own, and that’s how it should be. It’s chalk and cheese now to how it used to be. It’s a different time now and it’s different for the better.”
Daz: “Disability provision has come on so, so much in recent years. From blind football to frame football, to football on crutches to what we do where everybody can join in, there’s just so much more than there ever has been. Whatever your disability, there is something for you.”
Destiney: “Women’s football is going in the right direction, but obviously, there’s a bit of a way to go yet. We’re getting more people into stadiums, especially in the higher leagues and there’s more work to be done in the lower leagues, but hopefully as time goes on, as the game develops, as the teams get stronger, as the professionalism gets better, then we will get more people into stadiums, and things such as facilities can improve within teams. There is still a divide between staffing and medical provision for females, but as the game grows then hopefully it should get there. If we at Wolves can take steps into making the game professional and investing in the game then hopefully we can achieve something great.”
David: “We must remember that Wolves isn’t just about the men’s first-team, there’s a whole range of different teams associated with Wolves, and it’s important we all get to be part of this legacy that is Wolverhampton Wanderers. Whether you are a former player, a current player, a supporter like myself, or a member of staff, you get to be involved in this amazing football club and the more we can represent that in all its diversity, the better.”
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