Shrewsbury Town's John Rhodes has been appointed as a Safeguarding Ambassador for the Football Safety App. The club's Senior Safeguarding Manager will champion the anonymous reporting tool.
Rhodes, 51, combines this new role with his existing duties at Shrewsbury Town, where he leads on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. He stated his belief that the app can help transform safety across the game. "There is no place for abuse in football," Rhodes said. "We are passionate about stamping out unacceptable behaviour around the game."
The Football Safety App provides a free, anonymous channel for supporters, players and officials to report physical, verbal and online abuse. Every report is reviewed by trained analysts before being escalated to clubs, online platforms or the police where needed. The technology is backed by former England striker Emile Heskey and ex-Chelsea forward Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Heskey has already visited Shrewsbury Town to demonstrate the platform's workings. The app also allows fans to check in at grounds and offers engagement rewards, while clubs receive anonymised data to identify patterns and improve matchday safety.
Shrewsbury Town CEO Liam Dooley said the appointment reinforces the club's existing campaigns. "The Football Safety App complements the club’s support for both the Unite For Access and Her Game Too campaigns," Dooley stated. Rhodes' work with the app adds another layer to the club's safeguarding operations. This comes as Shrewsbury Town prepares for a busy period in League One, with their next match a home fixture against Cambridge United on September 12th. Fans can view the full fixtures schedule on our site.
Rhodes brings extensive experience from various roles within the sport. His career began as a PE teacher before he moved into academy scouting for Stoke City and Wolverhampton Wanderers. He later held an operations role with The New Saints in Wales prior to joining Shrewsbury Town. "My love of football started at a young age and I have been fortunate to build a career around the game," Rhodes explained. His current position at Shrewsbury sees him overseeing safeguarding for the entire club, including the first-team squad which currently sits 14th in the League One standings.
The club's commitment to a safe environment is a year-round priority, not only on matchdays. Shrewsbury Town's squad, includes several key players who have been with the club for multiple seasons, contributing to a stable and professional atmosphere. Rhodes' ambassador role is a permanent addition to his responsibilities, aligning with the club's long-term strategy. The Football Safety App is free to download from the App Store and Google Play.
