Stamping out verbal abuse in the stands and making matchdays more family friendly has taken a significant step forward, as Clyde FC becomes the first Scottish club to adopt a new real-time reporting app to tackle unacceptable behaviour in football and boost safety.
Clyde FC has signed up to the Football Safety App (FSA), being backed by former England striker Emile Heskey, as clubs face increasing scrutiny over how quickly they respond to incidents as they happen.
The app will be introduced at Hamilton Community Stadium in Hamilton, with the club promoting the tool ahead of its opening match of the season.
Developed to address the growing problem of abuse and safety in and around the ground across both the men’s and women’s game, the new safety app allows supporters, players and families to report incidents anonymously in real time.
Reports can be submitted from the stands, concourses, pubs, public transport or online, and are verified and escalated via a 24-hour control room to clubs and, where necessary, the police. The app I had been produced to tackle safety in all forms.
Founded in 1877, Clyde FC says the move underlines its commitment to protecting future generations of supporters, shifting the focus from statements of intent to immediate action based on real-time evidence.
DavidAlexander, chief executive of Clyde FC, has said: “This latest signing was an easy decision to make for us. The software gives supporters a simple and effective way to report incidents connected to our club.
“It’s another important step in promoting a safe, welcoming and family-friendly atmosphere at our ground. I am really passionate about improving the matchday experience at Clyde FC.’”
The announcement comes alongside confirmation of the club’s new shirt sponsorship arrangements, with Cameron Event Logistics continuing as the principal shirt sponsor and the Football Safety App set to feature as this season’s home shirt sleeve sponsor.
Alexander added: “We don’t have particular issues at Clyde FC, but we are always looking to enhance the supporter experience and maintain a safe environment for everyone attending matches.
“Being able to report bad language or incidents such as verbal abuse, gender-based or homophobic abuse in real time allows us to understand what is happening and respond quickly. If there is a safety concern such as someone acting dangerously within the ground or vicinity, or a maintenance issue this too can be reported. Reports go directly to our Safety Officer so action can be taken immediately.”
Supporters can download the app free of charge via the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Heskey said: “Clyde FC is a 100 per cent fan-owned club, so to see the leadership embracing another way of keeping terraces and the wider football community free from abuse and bad behaviour is fantastic.
“The response from clubs across the UK has been overwhelming. For Clyde to become the first in Scotland to adopt the app is a real milestone.”
Clyde FC is the first club outside England to introduce the technology. In England, Cambridge United was the first to formally adopt the Football Safety App, and more clubs are expected to follow.
Heskey, who has spoken openly about racism during his playing career, said abuse has become “more constant and far-reaching” in the social media era.
“We can’t keep saying abuse is unacceptable and then doing nothing about it. This is how change starts,” he said.
As a father of sons in professional academies, he added that he is determined the next generation does not grow up seeing such behaviour as normal, with his involvement focused on turning concern into action and helping protect players, officials, supporters and families across the game.
Alexander said: “There is a wider push across the game, involving the SPFL, clubs, the Scottish Government and Police Scotland, to tackle this behaviour and strengthen the family atmosphere at matches. There is nothing worse than taking your kids to a game and hearing swearing and antisocial behaviour from the stands.”
“Our aim is to make reporting simple, accessible and effective, and this app allows us to do exactly that.
“We are often unable to act on incidents reported after they have taken place, , when it is inevitably too late. This tool enables supporters to report concerns anonymously and in real time, making a real difference to the matchday experience.”
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The app covers all forms of abuse and is free to download. Users are automatically checked into fixtures and can access rewards for engagement, while clubs benefit from anonymised data that highlights patterns, hotspots and repeat issues.
For further information, visit www.footballsafetyapp.com
