HER GAME TOO...WITH JOSH LAURENT

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A father of two girls, aged six and 20-months, Saturday's dedicated Her Game Too fixture means a lot to Josh Laurent

2025-03-07T15:30:00.000Z

HER GAME TOO...WITH JOSH LAURENT

A father of two girls, aged six and 20-months, Saturday's dedicated Her Game Too fixture means a lot to Josh Laurent

2025-03-07T15:30:00.000Z

A father of two girls, aged six and 20-months, Saturday's dedicated Her Game Too fixture means a lot to Josh Laurent

“It’s important that conversations like this aren’t just for women to do, it’s for everybody to do,” said Josh Laurent, who when asked to talk about the topic of tackling sexism & championing women in sport, said he was grateful to be asked to use his voice to help bring about change.

“Having two young girls, I think as you grow up you start looking at the world and places a little bit differently. You want them to have the best opportunities to be whatever they want to be and have equal rights with it.

“You go into places of work, obviously I’m in football, so at all my clubs you go in and you see for example the women’s team, you look at how they are treated.

“Whenever I do see things online that are not nice, it always makes me think a bit differently to how I did before I had girls.

“It’s nice to see the support and raise awareness to make it more equal and fairer, as it does need to be.”

The Clarets Her Game Too fixture falls on International Women’s Day and to mark the occasion the Club have been sharing the stories of various female staff members to show the range of opportunities available.

“When my kids come to games, it’s nice to see that there are women involved in football. Whether it be playing on the pitch or in different roles at the Club. It’s good for them to see so they can grow up and know that there’s opportunities for them to be whatever they want to be.

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“This Club is very good with that. As I have girls, I always make sure I have good relationships and ensure they feel comfortable. I like to think I’ve got a good relationship with all the staff equally. It’s getting better and hopefully it continues to grow.”

Has Laurent had any inspirational women in his life who he’d say have helped shape him as both a person and a player?

“Yes, I’m lucky, I say I have two mums. I’ve got my mum, my biological mother who is in my life and as all mothers do, looks after me. I’ve also got what I’d call a second mother, what people would traditionally call a stepmum, but she’s just like another mum to me. I’m very lucky to have two great mothers.

“My stepmum has looked after me like I was her own. With football she’s taken me up and down the country and my biological mum has been great at helping me grow up, shaping me as a human and ensuring I know right from wrong. She shaped me to have girls, how to bring my two little girls up.

“The two of them have been there for as long as I’ve known and have shaped me into the person I am.

“Then of course my fiancé, she’s back down south with my two kids. She allows me to do this, she allows me to be a professional footballer, come here and play so far away from home to be able to provide for them and to follow my dream.

“I’d say those three people, they’ve been so good to me.”

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Burnley FC has worked hard to make Turf Moor a welcoming and inclusive environment for all, recently introducing Safeguarding Stewards, something that Laurent is pleased to see.

“It’s very important. The owners are good with things like that. From day one I’ve felt very comfortable here but more importantly my girls came to their first game, and they were treated like they’d been here for years, I have the most respect to the Club for that.

“It’s important to make everyone feel welcomed, not just players and their families but things like the Safeguarding Stewards for fans or people around the ground. It’s important that people feel safe, we’re all a big family, we’re in this together no matter what. It’s really pleasing to see.

“I’ve also been impressed with the women’s team. They’re treated like the men’s first team; it’s not like that at every club. We interact regularly, use the gym together, eat together. At previous club’s I’ve been at it’s not like that, so it shows how inclusive this club is. It’s impressive and hopefully more clubs can be like this, and we can be the driving force.”

Passionate about a subject that’s so close to his heart, Laurent’s grateful to use his voice to show support for the Club’s collaboration with Her Game Too.

“When I was asked to speak about this, I was really grateful. I think it’s important that conversations like this aren’t just for women to do, it’s for everybody to do. It’s everyone’s job to make sure that this world is a safer, equal place for everyone.

“As players it’s positive if we can help. I’ve got two girls, so I’ve got a keen interest.”