Sky Sports pundit Alex Scott urges English football to keep Black Lives Matter alive next season

Sky Sports pundit Alex Scott has urged English football to press on with support for the Black Lives Matter campaign next season. 

The former Arsenal women’s star said clubs, players and staff should continue their displays against discrimination after a year that has seen the world of sport play a huge part in bringing awareness by striking, taking a knee before games and wearing the movement’s message on jerseys.

The shooting of George Floyd by a white policeman in the US this summer triggered protests around the world and those demonstrations reached many sports – with the Premier League featuring Black Lives Matter on shirts instead of player names. 

Sky Sports pundit Alex Scott has urged English football to keep Black Lives Matter going 

Her fellow pundit Ashley Cole agreed and said it must continue until change happens 

Both England and Iceland players took a knee before their Nations League clash on Saturday

Clubs kneeled before each game in the restart and there are plans to keep that show of support going for the 2020-21 campaign. Scott believes it is vital to do so to bring about change after another police shooting in the US last month saw Jacob Blake left seriously injured.

The incident saw NBA basketball players go on strike and the pundit is now keen to see the English game keep up their support to ‘keep it at the forefront of people’s conversations’. 

‘We still need to keep the Black Lives Matter movement going,’ she said after England’s 1-0 win over Iceland in the Nations League on Saturday. 

Premier League sides took a knee before every game during the restart in a show of support

‘Basketball players in the play-offs are boycotting games. We just need to keep going. We need to keep it at the forefront of people’s conversation. So any opportunity we can, we need to shine a light on it.’

Gareth Southgate’s side and Iceland both took a knee before their game and it is believed many top flight teams plan to continue the gesture into the new season. 

Her follow pundit Ashley Cole agreed and said the movement risked being ‘put in the bin’ if it wasn’t brought into the new season – citing the Kick It Out campaign which was ‘washed away’.

Players also featured Black Lives Matter on kits, although the slogan won’t feature next season

‘That was the problem with Kick It Out – it happened for two weeks,’ the former Chelsea star said. 

‘It was put in the bin and no one talked about it again. It still has to be taught to some people, the education around it. It needs to keep going until change happens.’ 

Sportsmail understands clubs will drop the controversial Black Lives Matters slogan from players’ shirts when the delayed 2020-21 season begins next week.

However, players will be permitted to continue taking the knee if they wish but that is likely to be left as a matter for individual clubs rather than being mandated by the Premier League.