Blackpool footballer comes out as gay

[Red9zero]

272BHP said:

Red9zero said:

I know exactly why it matters. I have a relative who is gay and plays football to quite a high local level. They won't come out because of the effect it could have on their career.

It would have a positive effect on his career surely?

Why on earth would it not?

They think not. They have our support no matter what, but they would rather keep it quiet for now.

[unident]

272BHP said:

It would have a positive effect on his career surely?

Why on earth would it not?

It should have a positive impact , but it wouldn’t. There will be some questioning anything that happens and claim he only got there because he’s gay (see the recent Dr Who thread and replace gay for black), or other clubs shying away from signing him either due to thinly disguised homophobia, or fear around a media circus disrupting the squad.

[nick30]

Derek Smith said:

My son played in a level 5 rugby team. 'Everyone' knew that one of the players was gay. Nothing was said, it was just one of those things. He didn't realise it was apparent and he geared himself up and told the team one time. They all sort of went, yeah right, and he was a bit deflated. My son said it was obviously a big thing for him, but to the guys, it was immaterial.

I don't know about football, but I'm surprised that it is such a shocking thing to discover that a player's gay. It is probable that more than one player in a team is gay. If the others don't want to say anything, so what?

I was on a licensing unit and Brighton has its share of gay bars/clubs. I would pay a visit and see colleagues there - they out of uniform of course. This was back in the 90s. Is football still in the dark ages?

Yeh this does seem a bit odd. I don’t follow football myself either but this story seems strange to me because I thought plenty of sportsmen were gay and they shouldn’t be concerned to potentially hide or eventually explain their sexuality. It’s confidential at the end of the day or should be and I am sure there are plenty of gay footballers that are probably scared to come out and that is a bit sad and says a lot.

I respect him for what he has done but he really shouldn’t have felt that he had to I don’t think.

[Ouroboros]

272BHP said:

It would have a positive effect on his career surely?

Why on earth would it not?

Hypermasculine?

[272BHP]

unident said:

It should have a positive impact , but it wouldn’t. There will be some questioning anything that happens and claim he only got there because he’s gay (see the recent Dr Who thread and replace gay for black), or other clubs shying away from signing him either due to thinly disguised homophobia, or fear around a media circus disrupting the squad.

Absolute nonsense. I have no doubt the club, fans and community would wrap their arms around him.

Sure there will always be a few idiots but let's not make the story about them eh?

[unident]

272BHP said:

unident said:

It should have a positive impact , but it wouldn’t. There will be some questioning anything that happens and claim he only got there because he’s gay (see the recent Dr Who thread and replace gay for black), or other clubs shying away from signing him either due to thinly disguised homophobia, or fear around a media circus disrupting the squad.

Absolute nonsense. I have no doubt the club, fans and community would wrap their arms around him.

Sure there will always be a few idiots but let's not make the story about them eh?

I hope it is absolute nonsense, only time will tell. As much as I hope we’ve moved beyond this being a big thing, I don’t think we’re far enough along that journey yet culturally. It’s a real shame and I hope
I’m wrong.

[gregs656]

Stadiums can be hostile places, I imagine it will be fine though.

There must still be a perception from sports people in many different sports that they will face some hostility.

[jdw100]

Good for him.

Just needs to talk about his drug use next.

Jake Daniels and coke.

[Randy Winkman]

gregs656 said:

Stadiums can be hostile places, I imagine it will be fine though.

There must still be a perception from sports people in many different sports that they will face some hostility.

Let's not forget that football fans sing songs about things like air crashes and fans being crushed to death.

[anonymous-user]

gregs656 said:

Stadiums can be hostile places, I imagine it will be fine though.

There must still be a perception from sports people in many different sports that they will face some hostility.

Considering you still get football "fans" doing monkey chants and being racist s, I can only imagine this brave lad will get some serious abuse from the sidelines.

Fair play to the guy though, and I hope he gets on well.

[Eric Mc]

bad company said:

Jasandjules said:

It is a shame that there is such an issue in football that this is news.

That’s what I was about to say. I don’t see anything newsworthy here.

You contradict yourself. The post you are quoting expresses precisely why it is newsworthy. It is still a taboo area in soccer/football and brave individuals like this chap are needed to make it NOT newsworthy.

The sad tale of Justin Fashanu shows what a problem this has been in the world of football.

[Polly Grigora]

Year 2022 and this is news

How fking sad does it get

[Pieman68]

Challo said:

Its a huge deal in professional men's sports. Do you know many other gay footballers or rugby players?

Given the macho image footballers portray you hope he gets the support from the club and his team mates.

I would hope that the original comment was more of a "who cares, it shouldn't be important in this day and age" that came across slightly the wrong way

The only rugby player that I could name that came out whilst still playing was a guy called Keegan Hirst - played rugby league for Batley at the time before playing in Super League for Wakefield. The support he received from the vast majority was overwhelming

[Eric Mc]

Polly Grigora said:

Year 2022 and this is news

How fking sad does it get

It is news and it is sad.

The world will be a better place when neither of these comments are true.

[Frimley111R]

My immediate thoughts too! This gets priority over a globally recognised war in the news?!

The media are mostly to blame. They've made a big thing of this when it is just not headline news. He's gay, it's 2022, no-one cares. It's like the news channels are stuck in the 70s.

Yes football fans can be quite toxic but they can be toxic about a ton of things. You either deal with it or you get out.

[J4CKO]

Polly Grigora said:

Year 2022 and this is news

How fking sad does it get

Indeed,

In most other realms it isn't news but a percentage of football fans are just trying to come to terms with not throwing bananas and doing monkey noises at back players ffs, which is ironic as Chimpanzees make those supporters look sophisticated.

I suspect that there are other gay players but its probably less than the population as I imagine that it will put a few off, i.e. going into that environment if you are gay.

Football, or rather a certain cohort of supporters are looking like its still a good few years behind, I think this young chap coming out will make them confront their prejudices a little, and if they dont hopefully they get banned and prosecuted for shouting homophobic stuff.

[Eric Mc]

Frimley111R said:

My immediate thoughts too! This gets priority over a globally recognised war in the news?!

The media are mostly to blame. They've made a big thing of this when it is just not headline news. He's gay, it's 2022, no-one cares. It's like the news channels are stuck in the 70s.

Yes football fans can be quite toxic but they can be toxic about a ton of things. You either deal with it or you get out.

A very harsh attitude I have to say.

"Deal with it" is not recognised as good advice when dealing with human emotions.

I think it is great that he has "come out" and hopefully others will follow by being equally brave. Football needs to "man up" to this issue and get with the more tolerant attitudes prevalent now in most walks of life.

[Randy Winkman]

Frimley111R said:

My immediate thoughts too! This gets priority over a globally recognised war in the news?!

The media are mostly to blame. They've made a big thing of this when it is just not headline news. He's gay, it's 2022, no-one cares. It's like the news channels are stuck in the 70s.

Yes football fans can be quite toxic but they can be toxic about a ton of things. You either deal with it or you get out.

"No-one cares". Do you not think that homophobia exists in 2022? What about racism or sexism? Do we still have them?

[Polly Grigora]

Eric Mc said:

Frimley111R said:

My immediate thoughts too! This gets priority over a globally recognised war in the news?!

The media are mostly to blame. They've made a big thing of this when it is just not headline news. He's gay, it's 2022, no-one cares. It's like the news channels are stuck in the 70s.

Yes football fans can be quite toxic but they can be toxic about a ton of things. You either deal with it or you get out.

A very harsh attitude I have to say.

"Deal with it" is not recognised as good advice when dealing with human emotions.

I think it is great that he has "come out" and hopefully others will follow by being equally brave. Football needs to "man up" to this issue and get with the more tolerant attitudes prevalent now in most walks of life.

Oooooh I thought Frimley111R meant the fans need to accept life as it is or do one

[Polly Grigora]

J4CKO said:

Polly Grigora said:

Year 2022 and this is news

How fking sad does it get

Indeed,

In most other realms it isn't news but a percentage of football fans are just trying to come to terms with not throwing bananas and doing monkey noises at back players ffs, which is ironic as Chimpanzees make those supporters look sophisticated.

I suspect that there are other gay players but its probably less than the population as I imagine that it will put a few off, i.e. going into that environment if you are gay.

Football, or rather a certain cohort of supporters are looking like its still a good few years behind, I think this young chap coming out will make them confront their prejudices a little, and if they dont hopefully they get banned and prosecuted for shouting homophobic stuff.

Often football fans innit

He's gotta be so macho