Players Send Message Out

 
Micky Nolan (1st Team), James Rooke (U15), Balford Brown (1st Team)
 Elliot Wheeler (U10), JJ Farrar (U11), Alex Tibble (U10)
Sam Williams (U11) and Ryan Elsey (U14)
 

Every member of Merstham FC was wearing the new “No to Racism” wristbands today.
Merstham feel it is important that non-league football teams show their stance towards racism in the game as well as the professional sides.
Club chairman Ted Hickman said: “As a community football club, we feel it is our duty to take a lead in the fight against racism.  “We not only field successful senior teams, we also have a growing number of young squads who, we feel, should learn about and help spread the anti-racism message”.
Manager Mick Sullivan echoes his chairman’s viewpoint.  “I have seen racism again and again at all levels in football.  It is ugly, nasty and needs to be stamped out.  I’m pleased that we, as a club, are making a visible stand against this unacceptable behaviour”.
Today’s home game was the launch match for Merstham’s campaign.  Each team member was given the official wristbands by the club as part of the ongoing campaign and help remove these anti-social practices. 
Paul Elsey one of Merstham’s youth team managers, said:  “Clubs such as ours can play a leading role in reaching their members and supporters about these sorts of problems. 
My squad is very young, only 10 years old, but if you can get the message over now, hopefully it will stay with the lads and girls forever”. 
 

The anti- racism wristband was launched by Thierry Henry, the Arsenal and France striker, 
and Rio Ferdinand of Manchester United and England, in London recently.
Henry first wore the two black and white interlocking bands as he accepted the runners-up award at the World Player of the Year gala in Zurich in December 2004.