Sheffield United: Mum overwhelmed by response after Blades-mad daughter, 7, bullied with 'lesbian' and 'pig' abuse

Freya Taylor, a Sheffield United supporter and season ticket holder from the age of three, joined Ecclesfield Red Rose Boys in 2020 after deciding she wanted to play football.

Mum Amy says that Red Rose’s manager and Freya’s teammates have been “amazing”. But young Freya has been targeted with bullying comments since she began playing, both online and in general life.

“She dresses in football clothes and joggers and won’t wear dresses or skirts – things that, according to society, girls should wear,” Amy, from Parson Cross, told The Star.

Deciding enough was enough, Amy wrote on her Twitter page: “I HATE bullies. My seven-year-old football-crazy daughter, getting called a lesbian and even a pig, for playing football and supporting Sheffield United. My heart breaks for her. But these bullies will not win!”

At the time of writing, Amy’s post had attracted almost 7,000 ‘likes’ and over 800 replies – including from United Women’s social media account, manager Paul Heckingbottom and legendary former players including Alan Kelly.

United Women have invited Freya and Amy to their game against Blackburn Rovers on Sunday, promising her a signed shirt, while Heckingbottom wrote: “Sorry to hear about your daughter.

“You can tell her from me how important it is that she carries on playing football, like my own daughter does.

“And a big thank you for supporting the Blades.”

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Millie Bright, the former United Women and Doncaster Belles defender who is now a mainstay of the England team, sent a message to Freya, saying: “Keeping shining little one, you’re doing amazing.”

Amy sat down with Freya on Monday evening and shared all the supportive tweets with her daughter, who scored a volley from inside her own half for Red Rose away at Bramley in October last year.

“So people apart from family actually still like and love me?” Freya said. “I’ll never let anyone bully me again.”

Amy described the response to the tweet as “absolutely phenomenal”.

“I never expected for it to reach so many people,” she added.

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“I wanted to raise awareness that no matter what gender, what skin colour or what your sexuality is, no one should be made to feel like they can’t pursue their hobbies/dreams.

“Freya has always been a massive football fan. She went to her first Blades game when she was around three years old and ever since, she has had a season ticket on the Kop.

“She decided she wanted to play for a team in the summer of 2020 and we found Ecclesfield Red Rose, where we were both welcomed with so much love and support.

“But people have just been making horrible comments like: ‘You’re a girl, why do you want to dress like a boy and play football?’ or ‘Girls who play football turn out to be lesbians’.

“This has had a massive impact on Freya and she thought that, actually, girls shouldn’t play football. Until she saw all the love and support on Twitter.”

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