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Scottish Premiership players to get chance to take the knee ahead of new season

Scottish Premiership players to get chance to take the knee ahead of new season
© Reuters
Players will also wear T-shirts promoting campaign group Show Racism the Red Card.

Scottish Premiership players will be given the chance to take the knee in opposition to racism just before their new season kicks off.

Players will also wear T-shirts promoting campaign group Show Racism the Red Card and a number of video messages from each of the 12 teams will be played to highlight the message.

Scottish Professional Football League chief executive Neil Doncaster said: "For many, many years, Scottish football has been enormously enhanced by players from hugely diverse backgrounds, who are amongst the most beloved and admired figures to have graced our game.

"It's fitting therefore, that Scottish football plays a prominent role in helping ensure that education is at the heart of efforts to eradicate the scourge of racism in our society.

"That's why we and PFA Scotland proudly support Scotland's anti-racism charity, Show Racism the Red Card, which educates thousands of young people and adults annually and are committed to promoting their work throughout a Fortnight of Action in October, as well as in the opening round of Premiership fixtures.

"Players from all SPFL Premiership clubs have put together a video message which will be broadcast throughout match coverage and players will be issued with special t-shirts for the opening matches of the season, provided by PFA Scotland in conjunction with Show Racism the Red Card.

"Our three organisations have also worked together to enable players and officials who wish to show their solidarity with efforts to eliminate racial prejudice to do so prior to the opening matches of the season.

"Racism is abhorrent to any right-thinking person in our society today. The SPFL wholeheartedly supports the right of players, officials and others who wish to underline their opposition to such hateful beliefs and behaviours to 'take a knee' as we relaunch the game in Scotland.

"However, the manner in which people choose to express their opposition must remain a matter of individual free will and personal choice.

"It's for that reason that it would be wholly inappropriate for the SPFL, or indeed any organisation, to compel anyone to make any specific gesture.

"As in other sports, individuals must be free to express their own views in other ways, and the SPFL respects their right to do so."

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CLiverpool38323385335299
2Manchester CityMan City382639102356781
3Manchester UnitedMan Utd381812866363066
4Chelsea382061269541566
5Leicester CityLeicester381881267412662
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs3816111161471459
7Wolverhampton WanderersWolves381514951401159
8Arsenal381414105648856
9Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd381412123939054
10Burnley38159144350-754
11Southampton38157165160-952
12Everton381310154456-1249
13Newcastle UnitedNewcastle381111163858-2044
14Crystal Palace381110173150-1943
15Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton38914153954-1541
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham38109194962-1339
17Aston Villa3898214167-2635
RBournemouth3897224065-2534
RWatford38810203664-2834
RNorwich CityNorwich3856272675-4921

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