Moore pledges his support

Doncaster Rovers manager Darren Moore has pledged his support to the Foundation’s new project alongside Amnesty International, stating how it encompasses all that Club Doncaster stands for. 

The newly-appointed Rovers manager, who takes charge of his first competitive match tomorrow against Gillingham, spoke out about the Foundation’s new project, Football Welcomes, which looks at integrating people seeking asylum into the local community in Doncaster.

Speaking on Thursday, he said: “It’s a huge congratulations to Club Doncaster; to be nominated alongside Premier League and Championship clubs just shows where Club Doncaster is as a whole.

“We’re the only League One nominated, which reiterates the club’s value towards the community.”

With the three-year funding now secured, the Foundation, with the help of Doncaster Rovers and the Belles, will be running sessions with local group Doncaster Conversation Club United (DCC United) to integrate people seeking asylum into the community further.

Moore was particularly impressed with the Club Doncaster model when he signed on with the club, and the Football Welcomes project echoes the values already on show at the Keepmoat Stadium.

He said: “Club Doncaster are doing this because we’ve clearly shown we have a value for people. We reach out to everybody in the community and as head coach here at the football club, I cannot endorse this project enough.

“We aim to get bigger, better and stronger and reach far more areas across the community.”

One of the reasons why Moore took the job at the Keepmoat Stadium was due to the impressive community work which goes on at the club, which further epitomises the constant commitment to leaving a lasting impression on people in the community.

He said: “To see this football club so engaged in its community in so many different ways really inspired me to want to apply for this job.

“For me, I endorse it. I think it’s great, I think it’s wonderful and I think it’s a way forward for football clubs to engage as much as possible in the community, because as a football club, we are all one big family.”

Rovers winger and current PFA Community Champion, Matty Blair, added: “To be recognised by Amnesty International for the work that the club are doing as a whole in the community is nothing short of incredible.

“The boot drive has shown some of the amazing things that Club Doncaster is capable of achieving.

“As an ambassador of Fit Rovers, I’m really proud of the project’s efforts in donating football boots which means that people seeking asylum are able to play football on a Friday night.

“I would hate for something as simple as not owning a pair of boots to mean I was never able to play the sport I love, and we should do anything we can do to make people feel welcome in Doncaster.”

Don't miss out on the season opener against Gillingham. Get your tickets from tickets.clubdoncaster.co.uk or in person from the Club Doncaster Box Office.