FA Cup: Maidstone United take a stand against gambling advertising in football

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FA Cup second round on the BBC

Dates: 1-4 December

Coverage: Watch York City v Wigan Athletic on Friday on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport and the app (kick-off: 7:45pmm. GMT) and Alfreton Town v Walsall on Saturday on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport. . application (12:30 p. m. )

In the sixth tier of English football, money is scarce and every penny counts.

Sponsorship deals are imperative to a club’s survival, however, Maidstone United, whose average score is 1,883 in the National League South, took a stand against gambling advertising by signing up for the Big Step campaign.

The Stones have joined several other clubs, including Premier League Luton, in backing the campaign, which calls for an end to sponsorship similar to that of gambling and football.

“One of our players suffers from anxiety due to alcohol, drugs and gambling. That’s what sparked everything,” Maidstone’s director of football Bill Williams said of the club’s resolve to commit.

“I’m a time when the tobacco industry dominated sports advertising and sponsorship.

“For the reasons that have been banned because of the effect on physical health, I can foresee the same thing happening here because of the effect it can have on a person’s intellectual health. “

Maidstone signed up for the Big Step campaign in 2022 while they were in the National League, which in August 2021 signed a two-year partnership with two online and casino platforms.

This weekend, non-league club Kent hopes to win the FA Cup jackpot by beating Barrow two notches higher and drawing a Premier League club in the third round.

“A club the length of Maidstone supporting our cause is as important as Luton in the Premier League,” Big Step founder James Grimes told BBC Sport.

“One of the arguments put forward by the gaming industry is that their advertising and sponsorship help keep small clubs afloat.

“Having smaller clubs on board, other people point it out and say it’s clearly not true. There are a lot of clubs that thrive without selling the game in front of their young fans. “

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Big Step is part of Gambling with Lives, a community of families bereaved by gambling-related suicide.

Some 300,000 UK adults are problem gamblers, a recent review found, and their addiction affects another 3.8 million people, including children.

According to the study, men are more likely to gamble than women, especially online, where 15% of men and only 4% of women play.

The relationship between football advertising and gambling has come under renewed scrutiny after Brentford striker Ivan Toney and Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali earned lengthy suspensions for breaching regulations.

At Maidstone, players have got behind the club’s attempts to take a stand against gambling advertising in football.

“Educating our players about the risks [of gambling addiction] is part of the club’s culture,” coach George Elokobi, a former Wolves defender, told BBC Sport.

“I agree with that. We have a design where other people come to the club and communicate with our academy players about issues like this.

“The club is open to more people coming and talking about it, not only with our academy players, but also with the first team players. “

Grimes added: “We’re proud of the level of support we receive from clubs like Maidstone.

“The difficulty is that those clubs play in leagues that have, or have had, official betting partners and will have to have at least one advertisement on their field.

“It’s a bit frustrating, but it’s not the clubs’ fault. “

Elokobi is fondly appreciated by Wolves fans for his tough headed goal in Sir Alex Ferguson’s 2-1 victory over Manchester United in 2011, and at the birthday party that followed, when he unleashed his joy by kicking the corner.

“The wolves welcomed me as one of their youngsters and it was a loving encounter from the beginning,” says Elokobi, 37, of his six years in Molineux.

As a child growing up in Cameroon, Elokobi had to come to terms with the death of his father, grandfather and uncle within a few months.

He moved to England at the age of 16 to start a new life and lived with his mother in Brixton.

“I didn’t get in trouble, I didn’t get involved in gangs when there was pressure from my peers to do so,” Elokobi added. “I chose to behave, but without arrogance. “

Elokobi ended his career with Maidstone, having led them to promotion to the National League in 2021-22.

He took over as the Stones’ head coach in January 2023 and has since been assigned the position permanently.

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On Saturday, Elokobi will attempt to steer Maidstone – second in National League South – into the third round of the FA Cup at a packed Gallagher Stadium.

They have already pocketed £59,375 in FA prize money by beating Steyning Town, Winchester City, Torquay United and Chesham United to triumph at this stage.

The Stones will get an extra £67,000 if they beat League Two Barrow.

As a 20-year-old, Elokobi was part of the Colchester squad that played at Chelsea in the fifth round of the FA Cup in 2006.

He was an unused substitute in the 3-1 defeat, but still managed to leave Stamford Bridge in Frank Lampard’s shirt.

“Occasions like this don’t come around too often for clubs like Maidstone,” added Elokobi.

“Barrow are a team and this is a chance for us to face the rivals in the Football League.

“The magic of the FA Cup has got a way of surprising everyone.”

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