London amateur club boycott second fixture against MHFC over ‘misogyny’

Players at the community-owned football club Camden and ­Islington United (Candi) have taken the decision to boycott a second game against Munter Hunters FC with an investigation still ongoing into their opponents.

Candi’s Sunday men’s team were due to play MHFC in the Sunday ­Wembley Cup but last week decided they were not willing to do so due to the team’s name, which was ­registered to the league as MHFC, and “horrific examples of misogyny” posted to the team’s official social media accounts. The decision has now been taken to also refuse to take part in their quarter-final encounter in the Sunday Premier Plate, with Candi holders of both competitions.

Last Sunday’s Wembley Cup ­fixture was postponed by the London Football League following Candi’s decision to boycott the game, but Candi were informed they would be expected to play in this weekend’s Premier Plate tie despite raising concerns about the safety of the two teams playing each other while the investigation is ongoing. They have now been informed by the London Football League that the game has also been postponed after their ­second successive boycott.

“We were again told, in no ­uncertain terms, that we would have to compete against MHFC this coming weekend. We declined,” said Candi’s Sunday men’s team captain, Billy Doyle.

“Candi will be standing strong on its principles and is willing to forfeit defending our titles as winners of both cups to show the women in our club and our wider community that we will not tolerate an environment in which they are not safe and respected. We’re encouraged by the assurances of the Amateur FA that a prompt and rigorous investigation will take place, but it should never have come to this. It shouldn’t be on the shoulders of this team to make football an inclusive space.”

The Sunday men’s team will instead attend the match between their women’s first team and Dulwich Hamlets reserves on Sunday as part of their ongoing campaign against misogyny and is inviting the footballing community to join them in a celebration of women in football.

Candi’s director of women’s football, Ali Speechly, said: “We’ve received incredible support from the whole footballing ­community since taking a public stance against ­misogyny in football. We’re ­heartened by that solidarity, but sad to have reconfirmed just how ­common our experience is, and how rare it is that clubs take a stand. Words alone won’t create change, so instead of playing the cup fixture this Sunday we will be cheering on our women’s first team. We’ve organised a small festival celebrating inclusive football. We hope that everyone who shares our dream will join us there.”

The London Football League confirmed it had postponed the second fixture and pointed to the statement it put out last week: “We prefer to await the conclusion of the Football Association investigation before offering our opinion on this matter.” The Amateur FA similarly said it would not be commenting further at this time. Last week chief executive, Jason Kilby, said the governing body “take all reports of inappropriate behaviour seriously” and are “committed to eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity amongst our workforce and throughout Amateur FA football”.

A Football Association spokesperson said last week: “We are working with the Amateur Football Alliance to support their investigation so that the appropriate steps can be taken. We strongly condemn all forms of misogyny, which has no place in football or wider society, and we will ensure action is taken against any club or individual that is found guilty of this behaviour. All allegations of this nature are taken very seriously and will not be tolerated in our game.”

MHFC have declined to comment while the investigation is ongoing.