TOWN goalkeeper Wes Foderingham has today been announced as part of a new initiative, entitled the Next 20, launched by Kick It Out to champion 20 young football stars across the Premier League, Football League and Women’s Super League (WSL).
The Next 20, which was introduced as part of the organisation’s ‘Season of Action’ to mark its 20 year anniversary, will see players including Wesley, Arsenal full-back Carl Jenkinson, Sheffield United defender Harry Maguire and Everton Ladies star Toni Duggan raise awareness of Kick It Out through a varied set of activities within the community.
Wes, who studied at Phoenix High School in London, signed for Swindon permanently in 2012 after impressing during a loan spell from Crystal Palace. The 22-year-old hopes that his profile, both in the football and wider community, will help him promote the importance of equality and inclusion.
“London is such a multicultural city that you can’t help but bump into someone who has had a different upbringing to you,” said Wes. “Being part of this initiative I hope to express why having a diverse community is essential in football and why discrimination is completely unacceptable.”
Lord Herman Ouseley, Chair of Kick It Out, is thankful that Wes and a host of others have decided to back the Next 20 programme and help progress the work of Kick It Out.
He said: “We have had great ambassadors over our 20 years of campaigning and we believe this generation of young footballers will help us in rooting out discriminatory behaviour in the game.”
Here is the list of the Next 20 players in full:
Carl Jenkinson (Arsenal FC)
Jordan Nobbs (Arsenal Ladies FC)
Danny Rose (Barnsley FC)
Jason Lowe (Blackburn Rovers FC)
Dylan Lall (Brighton & Hove Albion FC)
Nathaniel Chalobah (Chelsea FC on loan at Nottingham Forest FC)
Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea FC on loan at Everton FC)
Callum Wilson (Coventry City FC)
Toni Duggan (Everton Ladies FC)
Andre Wisdom (Liverpool FC on loan at Derby County FC)
Daniel Powell (MK Dons FC)
Gael Bigirimana (Newcastle United FC)
Nathan Redmond (Norwich City FC)
Jamaal Lascelles (Nottingham Forest FC)
Michael Harriman (Queens Park Rangers FC on loan at Gillingham FC)
Harry Maguire (Sheffield United FC)
Jack Butland (Stoke City FC on loan at Barnsley FC)
Ben Davies (Swansea City FC)
Wesley Foderingham (Swindon Town FC)
Romaine Sawyers (Walsall FC)
