News 2023/24
Ready for kick-off!
LUFC Women are gearing up for the new season, starting with the Julie Chipchase Trophy on Sunday 4th August and the FAWNL league kick-off on Sunday 18th at home v Huddersfield Town.
AND a trio of new signings… so far!
1.08.24
Proud of Leeds and Pride!
Leeds Pride 2024 was a fabulous day and a great success for us, with activities across the city and weekend, as well as the centrepiece Pride parade on Sunday.
We are extremely grateful for the support of LUFC, and everyone who supported us, marched with us and cheered us on. Click the button below for our review of the event.
24.07.24
It’s Leeds Pride Weekend!
At last Leeds Pride weekend is here - once again sponsored by Leeds Utd but this time no clash with a game!
We have a packed weekend: here’s where to find us. (And members, see your emails for separate details of our social meet-up, and exclusive tour of Elland road.)
Saturday 20th July: 11am – 3pm
We will have a stall at the Leeds LGBT+ Marketplace being held at Brodrick Hall, Leeds Museum, Millenium Square. We will be giving out information about our group and also showing our support for other LGBT+ organisations. This will also be your first chance to enter our exclusive pride raffle where you could win a signed 2023/2024 Rainbow Ball.
Saturday 20th July: 4pm
We are very proud and honoured that our board member Mark Umpleby has helped put together a very special Pride Celebration Service at Leeds Minster. Everyone – of any faith or none – is very welcome to join a service of reflection, poetry, prayer, music and fun starting with a drinks reception in the Minster at 4pm with the service starting at 4.30pm. We will be joined by the Lord Mayor of Leeds. Click here for more information.
Sunday 21st July - The Leeds Pride parade
This is earlier this year, setting off at 12pm. We are gathering from 11.30am, outside Cathedral House near the top of Great George Street, which is towards the back of the parade. Look out for the Leeds United and Marching Out Together flags. As always, if you have one, please wear a Leeds Shirt - accessorised of course with as many Pride and Rainbow trimmings as you like - but worry not if you don’t, please just come as you are.
After the parade, we also have a stall within the marketplace area of the Leeds Pride site at Leeds Bridge right next to the heart of all the celebrations on Lower Briggate. Please come find us and say hi. Again we will have things to give away (first come first served), a raffle and a friendly smile.
Have a great Pride, everyone!
More on Pride - 21st July
LUFC have given further confirmation of their sponsorship of Leeds Pride on 21st July. We are especially proud that the club recognise Marching Out Together as the official LGBTQ+ fan group, and are grateful for their strong support throughout the year.
This actively recognises how Pride “will celebrate the diversity within the city and also act as a platform for education whilst highlighting the ongoing fight for quality and inclusion” and that “the club will continue to support and help where possible to ensure members of the LGBTQ+ community feel empowered to be their true selves.”
15.04.24
Women finish in 6th
It was a disappointing end to a frustrating and weather-disrupted season for LUFC Women, finishing 6th behind champions Hull, but Jess Rousseau - with 25 goals from 27 appearances – was top scorer.
We are already discussing how we can continue our active support to LUFC Women throughout the season to come.
10.05.24
Frankie & Troy’s story
We recently shared with our members a message we received recently from two of them, Frankie and Troy. We are touched by what the guys have said here, and proud that the group is having a real and positive impact.
4.05.24
LUFC sponsor Pride again
We are thrilled to be able to confirm that Leeds Utd are again sponsoring LEEDS PRIDE, which this year will take place on Sunday 21st July… and without any clash with the new season’s kick-off!
LUFC’s sponsorship means that we will once again be able to play a prominent part in the day’s celebrations, and we are already talking to the club about the detail of their support and what we can plan for the day.
Our Chair Stephen said “It’s fantastic that the club are sponsoring Leeds Pride for yet another year, and it makes a massive difference to our presence. It is a really public and visible statement by the club, and tangible evidence of their genuine commitment to making Elland Road a more welcoming and inclusive place for LGBTQ+ fans, and everyone in the community. We are incredibly proud of the club’s involvement in Pride, and support for us throughout the year”.
Make a note of the date – Sunday 21st July – and once the season is concluded, lookout for more news on our plans for what will be a fabulous day.
24.04.24
Regional Alliance Update
At our board this month, our chair Wiggy updated us on activity with the Yorks & North Notts Regional Alliance of LGBTQ+ fans’ groups. Stephen had just attended the latest meeting where M-Out had led a discussion on group structure, leadership and membership management.
The group has regular meetings covering monthly activity updates, as well as quarterly development clinics where the focus is on best practice for organisation, governance, and member & community engagement.
We believe we are all ‘stronger together’ and are proud to be playing a leading role in the Alliance and to share our experience as one of the more established and active groups.
15.04.24
Student Voice conference at ER
Two of our board members, Maz and Mark, took part in a major student voice conference on ‘Championing Mental Health and Welcoming Inclusion’. The event was hosted by Leeds United Foundation in the Gary Speed and Eddie Gray Suites in the East Stand at Elland Road. The students and staff attending were all from schools who are part of the Outwood Grange Academies Trust representing a community of over 31,000 school students of all ages.
Mark presented to the conference about the work of Marching OutTogether. Mark talked about the reason our group was set up and how we work to try and enable all from the LGBTQ+ community to feel welcome at Leeds United… and in football as a whole!
The day also included some other great input from:
Burley Banksy - Andy McVeigh - who shared some of his very personal and moving life story and then art workshops
Pat Sowa who talked of her own personal experience of loss and the work of StarFish
Thomas Wales talking about Pride Wakefield
Andi Cope on the work of Spectrum
We all shared in a really lively and interesting Q and A with the students.
The day also included a short tour of the ground including students seeing our Marching Out Together Flag in situ in the south-west corner of the ground. We talked about why this visibility is so powerful and photos were taken with the flag.
All the students were challenged then to take back to their schools what they had heard and look at a project to bring back to a follow-up conference back at LUFC in July.
14.03.24
LGBT+ History Month ‘24
We have had a very active LGBT+ History month this year, with board members Maz and Mark celebrating the EFL’s launch of their Rainbow Ball with Patrick Bamford at Thorp Arch, member Roisin playing a starring role in the EFL’s launch video, and a stall at Leeds LGBTQ+ Marketplace.
Board member John has also been reflecting on a timeline from Justin Fashanu to Robbie Rogers and Luke Ayling, and how these campaign events can help imporve understanding and bring change. Click the button below to read more.
29.02.24
Zero tolerance of hate
LUFC have made a very clear and strong statement on homophobic chanting in advance of the upcoming FA match away at Chelsea, including a specific reference to the ‘rent boy’ chant which has been very clearly defined as a homophobic slur and hate crime.
We are sad that this is still necessary, but welcome the club and authorities’ unequivocal position.
Click below to read the statement, and visit our Issues page for why it matters.
26.02.24
Louie Herbert
The team at Marching Out Together were deeply saddened this week to hear of the death of Louie Herbert, one of our members, and son of our board member Mick Ward.
Louie was just 41 and as well as a life-long Leeds fan was a tireless campaigner for inclusion, diversity and equality and will be missed by all of us fighting for a better world.
Louie would not have liked the attention of a ‘one minute clap’ at Elland Road, and Mick encouraged fellow fans to pause at 41 minutes during the Leicester game, to think about what we can do more to fight for equality and to give the team an extra cheer, which meant a lot to us all here at MOT and Louie’s friends and family.
And on the evening of the home match against Stoke City on Tuesday 5 March (1 – 0 win) Louie’s dad Mick Ward (@mickmodern) said a few words at the Bremner statue outside Elland Road, watched by friends and members of Marching Out Together. Read Mick’s tribute ‘Louie, Leeds United, Activism and Football’ here.
23.02.24, updated 5.03.24
Women back in action!
After a frustrating spell of cup disappointments followed by multiple cancelled matches due to the weather, it was a Winning New Year for LUFC Women, with an impressive 4-2 comeback win over Doncaster Rovers belles.
We were there, and will continue to support LUFC Women whenever we can.
9.01.24
AGM & Report 2023
Before kickoff against Middlesborough this Saturday we were honoured to be guests of the club in the Boardroom at Elland Road for our Annual General Meeting. Our Chair Wiggy talked everyone through our activities and successes in what has been another fabulous year (see the report below).
Wiggy also updated us on a meeting we had with Chief Executive Angus Kinnear this week, during which Angus invited us to contribute to the Working Group the club have established to work on the action plan in response to the recent FA report and sanction on the regrettable chanting during the Brighton game last summer.
3.12.23
‘Two Tribes’ play by Simon Castle
We are very proud to have played a part in supporting the development of a new play ‘Two Tribes’, which was given its northern premiere on 22 November at Leeds Playhouse.
The play is set in Leeds and tells the story of two street-fighting lads who fall in secret love, and is best described as ‘when Heartstopper meets This is England’.
Click here for the full story and a review by our member Emma
Picture - Cian O'Riain
22.11.23
Rainbow Laces - 10 years
This week was the 10th anniversary of Stonewall’s “Rainbow Laces” campaign, and we were thrilled to make a guard of honour by the tunnel when the teams ran out on Wednesday evening for the match against Swansea. And again on Saturday the game against Middlesborough was designated the official Rainbow Laces fixture.
Click the button below to read our Chair Wiggy sum up why this is so important; and click here for information from Stonewall on ‘Rainbow Laces’.
30.11.23
Support for all
In solidarity with all our LGBTQ+ friends and supporters, as well as fellow fans’ groups, we wish to put on record how abhorrent we find recent remarks from some politicians and prominent figures targeting our community and especially our Trans friends.
Everyone has a right to live in peace and safety, without fear, discrimination or abuse. Regardless of where they come from, how they define themselves, or who they love.
Prejudice and exclusion have no place in football or our wider society. We will continue to work with LUFC and with our partners in the city towards a safer and more inclusive environment, and to fight hate wherever we see it.
14.10.23
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