DESIGN A FEMALE MASCOT FOR SOUTHEND UNITED

Sammy the Shrimp is one of English football's best-known mascots and now he is set to get a female friend, as Her Game Too partner club Southend United invite children across the country to design the club's first-ever female mascot.

The Shrimpers partnered with Her Game Too earlier this season and the Draw Her Into The Game competition is the club's latest initiative to promote football as a game for all, with the introduction of a new mascot aiming to represent the future of women and girls in football.

Southend United Ladies will play their first-ever fixture at Roots Hall, against local rivals Colchester United, on Saturday, 16 May, and Sammy's new friend will be unveiled at the landmark fixture.

The initiative invites children aged 16 or under to create a mascot that reflects Southend United’s values of joy through football, togetherness and community, while celebrating the club’s seaside identity and its growing women’s programme. Entries can be submitted through schools or digitally using the entry form here, with artwork showcased by the club throughout the campaign period.

The competition is open now, with a submission deadline of Wednesday, 4 March. The winning design will be developed into a permanent club mascot, with the designer receiving VIP matchday experiences, club kits and season tickets, while also getting to see their mascot in action at Southend games.

Chloe Watts, Community Relations Officer for Her Game Too, said: "Draw Her Into The Game is a fantastic campaign which gives young people the opportunity to be part of history at Southend United.

"Creating a female counterpart to an iconic mascot such as Sammy the Shrimp is a powerful statement, showing that representation matters at every level of the game.

"Her Game Too is beyond thrilled to be supporting this campaign and we can’t wait to see the mascot feature at Southend United Ladies' first game at Roots Hall later this year!"

While entries are also welcome for individual children, every school that enters the competition will receive tickets for pupils to attend the game on 16 May, ensuring young participants are present when the mascot they helped inspire is unveiled on the pitch.

Former England international and broadcaster Sue Smith, alongside javelin world-record holder Fatima Whitbread, have been announced as ambassadors for the campaign.

Former England footballer Sue Smith is one of the competition's ambassadors

Sue said: “I am proud to become an ambassador for the Draw Her Into The Game campaign. The programme will help to engage young people with the club's inclusive values, and it will be special to see it all come together at Roots Hall when the women’s team play their first game at the historic ground."

Fatima added: “Southend United have the right attitude to supporting young people and making the community a safer place. When you give a young person the chance to survive, they will thrive; I’m delighted to be involved as an ambassador.”

Rylee Doe, Commercial & Marketing Manager at Southend United, said: “Draw Her Into The Game is about giving young people, especially girls, a sense of ownership and belonging within the club.

"By asking children across Essex to help create our first female mascot, we’re saying that the future of Southend United should be shaped by the community it represents.

“Revealing the mascot at our women’s first match at Roots Hall brings that message to life in the most powerful way possible, and we can’t wait to see the creativity our community produces!”

Children can submit their designs through participating schools, or online by parents and carers through email at mascot@southend-united.co.uk.

Full details of the competition can be found here.

The campaign is supported by BTMK Solicitors, c2c Rail and Her Game Too.

Former Team GB athlete Fatima Whitbread is supporting Draw Her Into The Game