Rainbow Blades

08/09/2026

Win on the road 🛣️

The three points are heading back to Bramall Lane. 🔥

Midnite Bet

05/09/2026

We love our matchday socials at the wonderful Albion ⚔️❤️

Anyone is welcome to join us. We always have lots of laughs. Drop in to our next one!

05/09/2026

The Football I Want My Kids to Grow Up With.

I was recently lucky enough to become a father for the second time. My eldest is five and regularly goes to football matches. Watching him fall in love with football has made me think about the game I grew up with, and the version of it I want him, and his little sister, to inherit.

There’s so much about football culture I hope never changes. I want them to experience the noise, passion, friendships, ridiculous optimism before kick-off and completely disproportionate misery after a defeat. I want football to give them the same sense of belonging it’s given me.

However, there are a few things I’d happily leave behind.

Growing up, certain words, chants and attitudes were dismissed as “banter”. Most of us probably didn’t give them a second thought. We know better now. And when children come to football, I can promise you they’re listening. They’re learning from us what being a football supporter looks like and, more importantly, who gets to belong.

I’m not looking for a sanitised version of football. I still want it loud, tribal and completely ridiculous. I just don’t think anyone needs to feel unwelcome for that to happen.

Hopefully, when my kids are older, “football is for everyone” will sound like the most obvious statement in the world.

✍🏻 Matty
🔗 Read more of our articles by going to the link in our bio.

05/09/2026

Back so soon 😁

The best day and time for a football match. Saturday at 3pm.

Join us at The Albion from 1pm to get you rearing to go for the game.

See you there, Blades ⚔️

04/09/2026

Whoops. Let’s try that again 😅

A huge welcome to ALL our new Sheffield United signings this summer! 👊

Across the Men’s & Women’s teams, we’re delighted to have you at Bramall Lane and part of the Blades family.

UTB ⚔️

01/09/2026

Blades fans needed that!

GET IN! 🔥

01/09/2026

Goodbye, Cal

Our 2025/26 Player of the Year. 🏆

Sad to see you go, but thanks for all the memories. Wishing you all the very best for the future. ⚔️

01/09/2026

Rainbow Blades – More than a supporters’ group.

Most Rainbow Blades will know James Laley, but the James writing to you today is the other one — James B. I’m largely responsible for Rainbow Blades as an Inclusive Football Group: a collection of LGBTQIA+ members and allies who simply want to play football. We’ve grown from a fortnightly kickabout to weekly sessions and now compete in tournaments.

August saw us take a group of Rainbow Blades to Mount Pleasant’s Summer Tournament, featuring 10 teams from a range of backgrounds. For our first appearance at a tournament that wasn’t our own, I’m proud to say we came away in 7th place out of 10. We had a great day in the sun, picked up a couple of wins and spread awareness of who we are. Rainbow Blades are now more than just an LGBTQIA+ supporters’ group, with our own community and presence away from matchdays.

September is shaping up to be an exciting month. I’ll be attending a night at the National Football Museum for q***r football groups, with celebrations, workshops and documentaries telling the stories of communities like ours.

Even more exciting is something I can finally label “Coming Soon”: our very own Rainbow Blades football kit. I’m sure you’ll catch a glimpse of it this season, so stay tuned!

✍🏻 James Beckingham
🔗 Check out more of our articles using the link in our bio.

01/09/2026

Pre-match sorted! ⚽️

After a great matchday social a couple of weeks ago, we’ll see you at The Albion before our second home league game of the season.

We’re sure we’ll have plenty to talk about on deadline day! 👀

Everyone is welcome.

25/08/2026

Romelle Donovan's goal sends us into Round Three. 🔥

Midnite Bet