A discussion between adults.. A gay footballer

[Mustapha-Dump]

I’ve just watched a short clip on sky sports from a programme called the debate and Craig Bellamy was a guest, discussion the above.

It’s something that fascinates me greatly and I have spoken about it for hours on end with my mother in law who happens to be gay, and I arrive at the same conclusion every time I talk to her about it, and that is that in my opinion the biggest hurdle would be us, the fans.

I say ‘us’ and hopefully I say it wrongly, I know I personally would have no problem with it, as I shouldn’t it isn’t a problem, but how would it make you feel?

I can’t help but feel that if you’re 1-1 away from home and you concede a last minute goal scored by a gay player there be a derogatory comment, and I also can’t help but feel it wouldn’t be dealt with in the same way racism would be, although in my opinion it is largely the same.

So how would it affect you? Would it affect you? Would it bother you? I’ve never seen it spoken about on here really so thought it was worth an ask.

Personally I have got zero issue with our star man having a Friday night in with his fella as long as he does the business on a Saturday!

[since-1969]

 

[DonnyOsmond]

I'm not narrow minded. I don't care if one of our players is gay or straight. As long as they give 100% every game.

[Bessie Red]

I'm reckon we have probably already conceded a last minute goal scored by a gay player although we just dont know he is gay. And that is where I stand on the debate ie why do we need to know the sexuality of footballers, I really couldnt care less.

[since-1969]

With the amount coloured football boots these days on display Im beginning to think it’s a subliminal signal being sent out that gay players are already out there.

[The Red Baron]

I'm reckon we have probably already conceded a last minute goal scored by a gay player although we just dont know he is gay. And that is where I stand on the debate ie why do we need to know the sexuality of footballers, I really couldnt care less.

That doesn't narrow it down much!

[dickos1]

Why did u put thumbs down?

[roversdude]

Doesn’t bother me but what does is having things rammed down my throat
If there were campaigns for ‘straight’ people there would be hell on

Btw saw the Craig Bellamy piece and as much of a kitson he is, I couldn’t help but think he was very articulate and well spoken

[Katesby]

Expand?

[IDM]

A footballer is a footballer, end of, as far as I am concerned..

[drfchound]

Doesn’t bother me but what does is having things rammed down my throat
If there were campaigns for ‘straight’ people there would be hell on

Btw saw the Craig Bellamy piece and as much of a kitson he is, I couldn’t help but think he was very articulate and well spoken

Had to chuckle at the first sentence in your post.

[NickDRFC]

Doesn’t bother me but what does is having things rammed down my throat
If there were campaigns for ‘straight’ people there would be hell on

Btw saw the Craig Bellamy piece and as much of a kitson he is, I couldn’t help but think he was very articulate and well spoken

Difference is that straight people haven't been persecuted for years...

It wouldn't bother me but there's no way they would escape abuse initially. You'd hope that any homophobic abuse would be stamped out though and once one footballer comes out I would have thought a few more would follow. I can't see it happening for a few years yet though.

Incidentally, is it just me or are there fewer gay-related jibes these days at games? 15 years ago every long haired player on the opposition team would be greeted with "rent boy, rent boy" as soon as he went down injured but I can't remember the last time I heard something like that?

[Bessie Red]

I'm reckon we have probably already conceded a last minute goal scored by a gay player although we just dont know he is gay. And that is where I stand on the debate ie why do we need to know the sexuality of footballers, I really couldnt care less.

That doesn't narrow it down much!

My point is why do people always need to know the sexuality of someone in the public eye. It just doesnt matter in this day & age so why debate it!! Personally I couldnt give a flying f@ck who they are sleeping with.

[RedJ]

With the amount coloured football boots these days on display Im beginning to think it’s a subliminal signal being sent out that gay players are already out there.

Christ, I hope this is just a shit joke, otherwise a ridiculous comment.

[drfchound]

In the music and tv/ enetainment business it seems as though being gay is the way to be to get on and do well.

[Katesby]

In the music and tv/ enetainment business it seems as though being gay is the way to be to get on and do well.

You're making it sound as though it's an option/life choice.

[CrippyCooke]

Anyone who has an issue with a player's sexuality is in a very sad place.

[drfchound]

In the music and tv/ enetainment business it seems as though being gay is the way to be to get on and do well.

You're making it sound as though it's an option/life choice.

Ha, I am not tying to do anything except say how it appears to be in my view.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

It does not matter one jot. Who cares. If the first thought that comes in to someones mind when the said player scored, is about his sexuality, then they have a problem!

[DonnyOsmond]

They did a study a year or so back and 8% of fans said they'd stop supporting their team if they signed a homosexual player. Embarrassing stuff.

[CrippyCooke]

In the music and tv/ enetainment business it seems as though being gay is the way to be to get on and do well.

You're making it sound as though it's an option/life choice.

Ha, I am not tying to do anything except say how it appears to be in my view.

Drivel.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Clearly people would shout abuse and would use it as a form of what they call 'banter'. Yep it's wrong and I wouldn't do it.

However is it any different to abuse for being ginger, or a woman or Scottish?  Hard to know, abuse is abuse are any better than others?

Would I care if any of our players were gay? Not one bit. Have I got gay friends who watch football every week home and away? Yep I have and they're just football fans, sexuality is irrelevant.

In 2017 that it's a topic of conversation is a shame, it really should not matter.

[Draytonian III]

It's 2017, who cares what people are, I bet everyone on this forum knows at least one gay person. Times have changed as soon as the first player says that he is gay others will follow suit and within 2 or 3 years nobody will raise the issue. Who cares.

[idler]

They did a study a year or so back and 8% of fans said they'd stop supporting their team if they signed a homosexual player. Embarrassing stuff.

So that means 92% are ok with it.

[BillyStubbsTears]

They did a study a year or so back and 8% of fans said they'd stop supporting their team if they signed a homosexual player. Embarrassing stuff.

Doesn't surprise me. That kind of bigoted attitude is dying out but not as fast as one would like.

30 years ago, there were people who subtracted the goals scored by John Barnes when England played because they didn't count. I remember grown men shouting "Ain't no black in the Union Jack" at Rufus Brevett and Mark Rankine.

That sort of attitude is incomprehensible today. There's only a tiny percentage of fans who would be bigoted against gay players today. It's best to ignore them and let them slowly die out.

[Scooter]

I have heard reports of gay players playing for premier league clubs. When they go to a red carpet event that are photographed with a female model on their arm and their male partner is inside the building away from the press.
It shouldn’t matter about a players nationality, race or sexuality if he plays well for our club he becomes a hero or legend if he doesn’t play well he is just labelled as shit

I also read the report that a percentage of fans would stop watching their club if they had a gay player. What a load of b*llocks.

Would anyone on here stop watching Rovers if Copps came out as gay? (I’m not saying he is before people overreact)
The answer is a big fat No!

Just need a few players to come out, the media will get over excited and then it will settle down
There will be some comments from fans but we have a more tolerant society compared to some of our Eastern European friends

[ck-rtid]

Couldn't care less, we are all human, we all bleed red, we all die in the end, just be happy. I have gay friends some who i served with in the army, no one was bothered then either, just treated like normal as they should be

[anne honemous]

The problem is that any player coming out would make themselves a target for potty-mouthed bigots in the stands and even certain dressing rooms.

They would be tagged as a gay footballer rather than a footballer who happens to be gay.

A player would either have to be exceptionally brave or completely stupid to come out during their career. Why would you take the risk of exposing yourself to potential hostility in an already powder-keg environment?

If it was common knowledge about who the gay/bisexual footballers are in this country, then maybe the situation would be different.

But there'd always be abusive comments/jokes/banter, just as there is about every taboo subject and like there has been for years.

Things can change quickly in football as well, which doesn't help this matter.

For example, a club could sign a few bad eggs which could upset the dynamic of a dressing room who are supportive towards a gay player. Or, after a bad run of results, the club could change manager and you could get a new manager who doesn't want that gay player in his team.

If a player wants to come out, they'd be much more sensible doing it after retirement like Thomas Hitzelsperger.

[since-1969]

Expand?

It’s about perception . Either you give S**t or don’t . I do believe it should remain private and I think players will not flourish until it’s no longer a point of discussion or contested by opinions.

[Chris Black come back]

Personally, I could not care less. How folk choose to live their life is their business. What happens on pitch is what matters.

I also think that times have moved on and most folk would equally not be bothered. Few backward folk maybe but very, very few.