Official Legal Partner of the New Football Safety App

We are delighted to have become the official legal partner of the new Football Safety App being backed by former England striker, Emile Heskey.

Heskey is the face of the soon to be launched app, which has been designed to tackle what he describes as an escalating abuse crisis in football.

The former England international, who won 62 caps and played more than 500 top flight matches, says abuse in the game has become constant, personal and inescapable. He warns that it targets players regardless of ethnicity or sex, as well as managers, referees, commentators, club staff and their families. Stephen Scott, partner and client lead for sports sector legal work at the 12-office law firm, said the partnership was a natural fit.

He said: “We are proud to be the official legal partner of the Football Safety App. The app’s mission to protect fans, players and staff from abuse and unsafe behaviour closely aligns with our core values of authenticity, collaboration, trust and bravery. As a firm, we will fight for what is right.”

The Football Safety App is a world-first platform that enables supporters, players, staff, officials and families to report abuse instantly and anonymously, wherever it occurs.

It captures reports from stadiums, concourses, pubs, fan zones and bars, as well as on public transport, including trains, where matchday behaviour often impacts ordinary passengers, families, commuters and rail staff.

Shakespeare Martineau will be responsible for ensuring sponsorship, contract and copyright legal requirements are met, as well as assisting with prosecutions where clubs require additional legal support.

Stephen Scott, who joined us in May 2025, said he is passionate about the app and its importance to the future of the game.

The Nottingham-based lawyer first became aware of the project through his association with Heskey, who enjoyed a distinguished career with clubs including Liverpool and Leicester City.

He said: “I’ve known the team at Cayson Global Ltd, the developers behind the Football Safety App, for a number of years, so when the team asked me to get involved, it was an easy decision.”

Now in its final stages of testing, the app is set to launch imminently.

Heskey said: “This is the deterrent football has been missing. When people know there is accountability, behaviour changes.

“We need the whole of football to take this seriously. We need one trusted system that fans believe in, that clubs can use and that gives authorities the information they need. This is not about blaming the game. It is about protecting it.”

Every submission made through the app will be sent to a 24-hour control room, where trained analysts assess reports, filter out misuse and escalate genuine cases to clubs, safeguarding

teams, the Premier League, EFL, SPL, the FA and, where appropriate, the police. The aim is also to roll this out throughout Europe and work closely with UEFA and FIFA

The system gathers real-time data, trends and behavioural patterns, creating an evidence base that football authorities have never previously had access to.

The app will be free to download and use. It will check users into games on arrival at the stadium and will also offer a range of rewards.

Participating clubs will contribute a small monthly subscription and receive detailed insights that help them identify hotspots, routes, fixtures or environments where intervention is required.

The app can also be used to tackle abuse at grassroots level.

Organisations, leagues, clubs and supporter groups interested in partnership or early adoption can register their interest at www.footballsafetyapp.com.