Liverpool FC has announced that both of their senior teams will continue taking the knee throughout the 21/22 season.
Players in the Liverpool senior squads have taken the knee since the return of football last June, following its suspension in England due to Covid-19.
The club announced the teams’ desire to continue to take the knee against racism in a statement this morning and underlined that the action sends the message that prejudice of any kind is simply unacceptable, in football or in society.
Men’s senior captain Jordan Henderson welcomed the decision made by the Premier League last week that players in the league will continue taking the knee.
“On behalf of all of the players at Liverpool, I want to restate our commitment to taking the knee in the Premier League this season and welcome the decision that was taken by the Premier League last week,” said men’s captain Jordan Henderson.
“There has been unfounded debate about why footballers are continuing to demonstrate in this way but there should be none. It is very simple – we are protesting against racism.
“The question should no longer be why are we doing it, it should be why wouldn’t we? This is a necessary response to a problem that we know exists and which we also know should not be happening.
“So I’m proud of my teammates when we take the knee and I also couldn’t have been prouder to be captain of this club when our supporters applauded us as we did so.
“It is only by doing what is right and coming together that we can achieve positive change and it is in this spirit that we will carry on taking the knee.”
LFC Women captain Niamh Fahey said: “As a women’s team we’re pleased that the football authorities will once again support squads who wish to take the knee.
“We saw even this summer around the Euros that the scourge of racism remains not just in football but in society. It shows, sadly, that the reason we took the knee last season remains every bit as relevant this season.
“It is our way of saying there is no place for racism or other forms of discrimination in our game, and that things must change.
“We will proudly wear the Take A Stand badges on our playing shirts this season and we know our supporters will be firmly behind us when we take the knee before our games.”
The campaign will see both teams wear sleeve badges in support of the message they are sending.
Liverpool Men’s will wear ‘No Room For Racism’ in the Premier League while the Women’s side will wear Kick It Out’s ‘Take A Stand’ in the FA Women’s Championship.
