by Democrat reporter
Dumbarton Football Club is the latest Scottish club to sign up to the Football Safety App, reinforcing its bid to make matchdays safer and more welcoming for younger supporters.
The announcement follows on the heels of trouble outside Stirling Albion’s Forthbank Stadium, where Sons took on the home team.
The new technology is a real-time reporting tool designed as a first-line measure against any form of abuse or unacceptable behaviour in and around sporting venues.
Specifically designed and award-winning software links to a 24-hour control room and allows players, officials, supporters and staff the ability to anonymously raise issues without fear of retaliation.
Cameron Watson, executive director of Dumbarton FC, said: “We are keen to attract the younger demographic to the terraces and one way to do that is to ensure those terraces are safe and inclusive.
“This app puts another level of security straight into the pocket of supporters and shows our commitment to making our club a safe and accessible environment for all.
“Across football in Scotland there have been rising incidents of anti-social behaviour. We feel it is the right time to be introducing the app as another layer of safety and to send a message that any form of abuse will not be tolerated.”
It is a view shared with several clubs across the country.
This month Stirling Albion introduced a ban on unaccompanied under-16-year-olds and those wearing face coverings at Forthbank Stadium home matches following an incident which is now being investigated by Police Scotland.
Dumbarton FC’s adoption of the new app follows in the footsteps of Clyde FC who were the first Scottish club to start using the tech.
The Scottish League Two club sees the move as a pre-emptive measure, which, as Cameron says is: “Clamping down now before anti-social behaviour becomes serious.”
Supporters can report any safety concerns they have directly from the terraces and that includes bad language, any form of verbal abuse or safety concerns.
The reports go through a 24-hour control room, are verified and escalated, and can be sent directly to clubs or the police depending upon the severity of the report.
Cameron added: “Our mission is to make football a family-friendly environment. We are encouraging young people to come to our games, and we know parents may have an element of concern in allowing their teens to attend what might be their first commercial sporting event with their pals and without an adult.
“With the app in place, there is added protection that if the young person hears or sees any elements of concern, they can report it immediately and anonymously.”
Dumbarton FC welcomed a new owner of the club last year, Mario Lapointe, who has already taken huge steps forward in making the club more accessible to younger fans while valuing existing supporters.
The Canadian businessman has already introduced cheaper tickets for young people, and last year introduced ‘Pass it on’ a scheme that helps disadvantaged people access matches.
Cameron said: “Safeguarding players, supporters and those in the surrounding area on matchdays is our priority and adopting the app is another layer of security that we have adopted, and I don’t think we’ll be the last club in Scotland to embrace the technology.”
The Football Safety App is free to download and comes with additional features such as automatic check-in at fixtures and a raft of rewards for engagement.
The Football Safety App may be accessed via the App Store or Google Play.
For further information, visit http://www.footballsafetyapp.com