Club celebrates 10 years of the Proud Lilywhites

Tomorrow’s home match against Wolves will see the Club celebrate 10 years of the Proud Lilywhites – our LGBTQI+ supporters’ association.

Proud Lilywhites was formed at White Hart Lane in February 2014 with a founding membership of 11 fans, with the aim of driving inclusivity and bringing the Club’s LGBTQI+ fanbase together around a shared love for the game.

Today, Proud Lilywhites’ membership stands at nearly 1,000 fans across the world, following a decade of campaigning and activity alongside the Club, including:

• The Proud Lilywhites flag on display in stadium on all home matchdays – sending a clear and important message that Tottenham Hotspur is for everyone
• Events including Pride marches, photo opportunities and Q&As with players and Ambassadors, matchday activities and lighting up the stadium in rainbow colours
• Training for matchday stewards, Club staff, players and local community groups on how to identify and combat homophobia
• The launch of retail range with the Spurs Shop, including t-shirts, flags and accessories
• Recognition in the form of two Football v Homophobia awards in both 2020 and 2023

Saturday will see a new-look Proud Lilywhites canopy banner on display in the North-East corner, a giant flag to be waved in the lower South Stand ahead of kick-off and rainbow corner flags.

Co-chairs, Chris Paouros and Lee Johnson, will appear at half-time alongside one of the Proud Lilywhites’ biggest allies - legendary Club Ambassador, Ledley King - who took part in the group’s first ever photo ahead of a Europa League clash with Dnipro on February 27, 2014.

Last night, a special celebration event was held at the stadium, with over 100 Proud Lilywhites members and allies in attendance. Players from both the Men’s and Women’s first teams - Ben Davies and Ellie Brazil - met with guests at the start of the event, before an exclusive screening of a new 10-year anniversary film, telling the story of the past decade through the eyes of Proud Lilywhites members.

A panel discussion was then held, hosted by broadcaster and Spurs fan, Leon Mann, featuring Ledley, Proud Lilywhites’ patron and Olympic hockey gold medallist, Helen Richardson-Walsh, Kick It Out’s Troy Townsend and Women In Football Director, Jo Tongue.

Donna-Maria Cullen, the Club’s Executive Director, gave an opening address at the event and said: “Diversity and inclusion is at the heart of everything we do and the Club is extremely proud to have been one of the first in the country to help form an LGBTQI+ supporters’ association.

“When Proud Lilywhites was formed at White Hart Lane in February 2014, we could have never envisaged the amount that would be achieved 10 years on.

“Proud Lilywhites is rightly seen as the shining light of LGBTQI+ supporters’ associations across football - the attendance at tonight’s event, the exponential growth in membership and recognition it has gained is testament to that.

“The Club will remain steadfast in its support of Proud Lilywhites and its objectives.”

Chris Paouros, Proud Lilywhites Co-Chair and elected representative on the Club’s Fan Advisory Board, said: “Being part of something is important and football provides that - that’s what Proud Lilywhites has done for me and for hundreds, maybe even thousands, of others across the world. It’s about bringing people together, those who might have thought football was never for them, or who fell out of love with it when they came out.

“We started the Proud Lilywhites in February 2014 when six of us got together on a wet Tuesday night at White Hart Lane. In that first meeting we came up with three things that we wanted to focus on and they still pertain today - community, education and campaigning.

“That’s why visibility and having our flag in the stadium matters - I can’t begin to tell you how many people comment on it because it has made such a difference to them. We’ve changed people’s lives and that’s why we do all this - the football landscape has changed because of the work we’ve done these last 10 years and the movement we have helped to build, with a network of LGBTQI+ fan groups across the country.

“This isn’t about tolerance and acceptance - it’s active celebration, purposeful promotion and real inclusion and belonging.

“Thank you to every member, every person who speaks out on our behalf in the stadium, online and in their daily life. Thanks to every committee member past and present and thank you to Spurs for all the support you have given for 10 years.”

To find out more about the Proud Lilywhites, and to become a member, visit: https://proudlilywhites.wordpress.com/