World Suicide Prevention Day falls on 10th September, and to raise awareness, men’s health charity Movember has turned empty season ticket seats at Rotherham United FC and Darlington FC into the poignant message: ‘Where’s My Mate?’. 

The clubs are based in the North East and Yorkshire, the two areas with the highest male suicide rates in the UK. In the North East, regional support of local football teams is the highest in the UK. Around a third of Yorkshire residents also support their local or hometown team, so the charity hopes to get the message across to as many men and women as possible with the collaboration ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day.

The initiative forms part of the charity’s Spot the Signs campaign, which aims to educate men on how to spot initial signs of possible burgeoning problems that might need some intervention, such as when that mate who never misses a football game, misses a game. 

The charity made the stand to heighten awareness around male Mental well-being in the lead-up to World Suicide Prevention Day after its research also revealed that an informal environment, such as at the pub or watching a football game, is a time when most men said they’d be most comfortable checking in with a friend.

According to the charity’s data, just 44% of men in the UK have suffered with their mental well-being, but two-thirds of UK males would keep it to themselves if they were struggling despite almost half saying speaking to a loved one has helped when suffering with their mental health.  

Fewer than one in four men in the UK claim to be good at opening up about their mental well-being to others. Men are also much less likely to open up to a friend about their mental well-being than women — 42% of women claim they’d open up to a close friend about their mental well-being, versus just 30% of men.  

While men aren’t good at talking about their feelings, many find spotting issues a problem, too. Over half of men say they wouldn’t know the signs to look out for to indicate that someone they knew was in crisis, and 55% wouldn’t know how to reach out and start a conversation. 

According to data from the Office of National Statistics, in the UK, three out of four suicides are men, and it remains the leading cause of death amongst men aged between 20 and 34. Strong male stereotypes prevent many guys from feeling like they can talk about their feelings — a problem that is particularly true amongst football fans, with research indicating that almost half of individuals in this community have struggled with their mental well-being.  

Talking face-to-face about mental health issues does help, though, if you can overcome that first hurdle, with those who have said they felt supported, cared for and relieved to be able to voice their feelings and problems. 

Through its Spot the Signs campaign, Movember aims to share the key signs indicating that a male friend may be in need and encourage men, if they spot a mate whose behaviour is out of character, not to ignore it and reach out.  

According to Movember, signs that ‘a bro could be feeling low’ include: 

• A typically laid-back friend appears a bit on edge 
• The usual ’group chat king’ has gone quiet 
• A football-loving or sporty friend missed a game or session 
• The sociable, party-loving friend goes quiet and no longer wants to do anything 

As well as these key signs, there is also a technique called ALEC (Ask, Listen, Encourage action, Check-in) to help equip people to reach out to loved ones.

Howard Webb, former Premier League and FIFA referee, representative at Professional Game Match Officials Board and Rotherham local, is also part of the campaign: “One of the reasons we all love the game that is football is the sense of camaraderie and community it offers — whether that’s supporting a team from home or coming along and watching alongside your mates. People are often surprised when they realise that the people they see the most are those who sit or stand around them at a football game. Together with Movember, we want to encourage people to reach out to those around them to help prevent them from reaching crisis point.”

Global Director of Men’s Health Research for Movember, Dr Zac Seidler, said: “We believe that every football fan holds the potential to make a difference in someone’s life. With our ‘Sport the Signs’ campaign, we’re turning Rotherham United and Darlington F.C.’s stadiums into platforms of hope for World Suicide Prevention Day. Through ‘filling’ these empty seats with such a poignant message, we want to remind people that noticing the signs, reaching out and supporting one another can truly save lives.

“As the UK’s leading men’s health charity, the only goal we truly care about is to stop men dying too young, and through this landmark collaboration, we hope to equip men with the knowledge, confidence, and tools that could save another man’s life.”

For more information on Movember and its Spot the Signs campaign, and access support tools on checking in with friends, please visit movember.com/mens-health/spot-the-signs

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