Footballer in gay magazine

[mattjpa]

We've all done it!

No, we haven't.

Well, not saying that you or I have, just that our club has done it.

Fair enough then. But such a scenario isn't one where I'd be happy to be tarred with that brush, Villa fan or not. In fact, I'd rather not bother with Villa at all if it meant being a c*** on an industrial scale like that with 'fellow' fans.

I did it. I remember it clearly but it didnt seem like a big deal. Im not homophobic, in fact i have gay relatives and friends so im not even shielded from it. There in though you have the conundrum. I imagine that to most it just isnt seen to be as bad as racism. my attitude has changed and I wouldnt join in now but the difference between homophobic and racist chanting and its acceptance is probably blurred by the fact that pulling out of challenges and/or rolling around on the floor is often met with homophobic insults being hurled ie "get up you f'ing puff!"
Its unfortunate but im not sure if the majority of people would deem this worthy of shopping someone to the stewards. Replace the word puff with the 'n' word and you have another matter completely

[Risso]

Perhaps there just genuinely aren't and haven't been that many gay footballers?  I've worked with hundreds of people over the years, and the number of openly gay people I've known in that time you could count on the fingers of one hand.

[saunders_heroes]

Perhaps there just genuinely aren't and haven't been that many gay footballers?  I've worked with hundreds of people over the years, and the number of openly gay people I've known in that time you could count on the fingers of one hand.

I bet there are some gay footballers though. Racism is abhorrent but it would pale into insignificance compared to the stick the first outed footballer would endure from the world of football. The Mathew Upson chants from Villa fans is a stain on the club. One of the most embarrassing things our fans have ever done. The saddest part of it is that the ignorant morons didn't even think it it was offensive.

[eastie]

Perhaps there just genuinely aren't and haven't been that many gay footballers?  I've worked with hundreds of people over the years, and the number of openly gay people I've known in that time you could count on the fingers of one hand.

I bet there are some gay footballers though. Racism is abhorrent but it would pale into insignificance compared to the stick the first outed footballer would endure from the world of football. The Mathew Upson chants from Villa fans is a stain on the club. One of the most embarrassing things our fans have ever done. The saddest part of it is that the ignorant morons didn't even think it it was offensive.

I agree , I think there will be some out there but they would rather probably it not come out in the open, the welsh rugby player who came out took a lot of abuse but gained so much respect too.

[Clampy]

Perhaps there just genuinely aren't and haven't been that many gay footballers?  I've worked with hundreds of people over the years, and the number of openly gay people I've known in that time you could count on the fingers of one hand.

The Mathew Upson chants from Villa fans is a stain on the club.

As childish and un-warranted as it was, i would'nt go that far. I'd forgotten all about it until it was brought up on this thread.

[saunders_heroes]

Perhaps there just genuinely aren't and haven't been that many gay footballers?  I've worked with hundreds of people over the years, and the number of openly gay people I've known in that time you could count on the fingers of one hand.

The Mathew Upson chants from Villa fans is a stain on the club.

As childish and un-warranted as it was, i would'nt go that far. I'd forgotten all about it until it was brought up on this thread.

It's episodes like that which prevent gay players from coming out or even from feeling comfortable in a football environment. So yes, I think it's as important as I made out. It's easy for heterosexual people to forget about that incident. A damn sight tougher for a gay person though.

[Yossarian]

Perhaps there just genuinely aren't and haven't been that many gay footballers?  I've worked with hundreds of people over the years, and the number of openly gay people I've known in that time you could count on the fingers of one hand.

There was something on the radio, More or Less I suspect, that worked out the probability of there not being a gay footballer. It was incredibly unlikely. I can't remember the figures but the only reasonable conclusion after listening to the numbers was there were quite a few current professional footballers who were firmly in the closet.

[Dave]

Perhaps there just genuinely aren't and haven't been that many gay footballers?  I've worked with hundreds of people over the years, and the number of openly gay people I've known in that time you could count on the fingers of one hand.

The Mathew Upson chants from Villa fans is a stain on the club.

As childish and un-warranted as it was, i would'nt go that far. I'd forgotten all about it until it was brought up on this thread.

Would you have forgotten all about it had it had been racist abuse?

They're both disgraceful and well done to Matt Jarvis for putting his head above the parapet, even in a small way such as this.

Perhaps there just genuinely aren't and haven't been that many gay footballers?  I've worked with hundreds of people over the years, and the number of openly gay people I've known in that time you could count on the fingers of one hand.

I've also worked with hundreds of people over the last ten years and could quite comfortably name thirty or forty openly gay people that I've known in that time.

[MarkM]

Perhaps there just genuinely aren't and haven't been that many gay footballers?  I've worked with hundreds of people over the years, and the number of openly gay people I've known in that time you could count on the fingers of one hand.

The Mathew Upson chants from Villa fans is a stain on the club.

As childish and un-warranted as it was, i would'nt go that far. I'd forgotten all about it until it was brought up on this thread.

If they thought that was bad they wernt at the Wimbledon FA Cup match not long after Fash had come out [From memory he wasnt even playing for them but I think his brother was]

[eastie]

Perhaps there just genuinely aren't and haven't been that many gay footballers?  I've worked with hundreds of people over the years, and the number of openly gay people I've known in that time you could count on the fingers of one hand.

The Mathew Upson chants from Villa fans is a stain on the club.

As childish and un-warranted as it was, i would'nt go that far. I'd forgotten all about it until it was brought up on this thread.

If they thought that was bad they wernt at the Wimbledon FA Cup match not long after Fash had come out [From memory he wasnt even playing for them but I think his brother was]

Justin you mean? I think
 cloughie referred to him in an extremely disparaging way too, the times have changed greatly since then though.

[Risso]

Perhaps there just genuinely aren't and haven't been that many gay footballers?  I've worked with hundreds of people over the years, and the number of openly gay people I've known in that time you could count on the fingers of one hand.

The Mathew Upson chants from Villa fans is a stain on the club.

As childish and un-warranted as it was, i would'nt go that far. I'd forgotten all about it until it was brought up on this thread.

Would you have forgotten all about it had it had been racist abuse?

They're both disgraceful and well done to Matt Jarvis for putting his head above the parapet, even in a small way such as this.

Perhaps there just genuinely aren't and haven't been that many gay footballers?  I've worked with hundreds of people over the years, and the number of openly gay people I've known in that time you could count on the fingers of one hand.

I've also worked with hundreds of people over the last ten years and could quite comfortably name thirty or forty openly gay people that I've known in that time.

Yes, but you *do* live down south.

[saunders_heroes]

Perhaps there just genuinely aren't and haven't been that many gay footballers?  I've worked with hundreds of people over the years, and the number of openly gay people I've known in that time you could count on the fingers of one hand.

The Mathew Upson chants from Villa fans is a stain on the club.

As childish and un-warranted as it was, i would'nt go that far. I'd forgotten all about it until it was brought up on this thread.

If they thought that was bad they wernt at the Wimbledon FA Cup match not long after Fash had come out [From memory he wasnt even playing for them but I think his brother was]

John Fashanu disowned his own brother when he came out as being gay. His brother later killed himself. I hope John Fashanu is ashamed of himself (and I'm sure he is).

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

Perhaps there just genuinely aren't and haven't been that many gay footballers?  I've worked with hundreds of people over the years, and the number of openly gay people I've known in that time you could count on the fingers of one hand.

The Mathew Upson chants from Villa fans is a stain on the club.

As childish and un-warranted as it was, i would'nt go that far. I'd forgotten all about it until it was brought up on this thread.

Would you have forgotten all about it had it had been racist abuse?

They're both disgraceful and well done to Matt Jarvis for putting his head above the parapet.

Perhaps there just genuinely aren't and haven't been that many gay footballers?  I've worked with hundreds of people over the years, and the number of openly gay people I've known in that time you could count on the fingers of one hand.

I've also worked with hundreds of people over the last ten years and could quite comfortably name thirty or forty openly gay people that I've known in that time.

Yes, but I suppose thats one of the perks of being Elton John's fluffer.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Justin Fashanu killed himslef after allegations of sexual assault were made against him in the US, not because of homophobic comments made on the terraces, sick that they are.

[Dave]

Fair point - I expect if someone were daft enough to come as as 'one of those queer folk' on your rock then they'd have the wicker man built and ablaze before you could blink!