Rainbow Laces

[Legion]

Footballers from Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City are among those supporting a campaign addressing homophobia this weekend by wearing rainbow laces in their boots.
Laces have been sent to all 92 Premier League and Football League clubs by gay rights charity Stonewall.
The focus is on changing attitudes rather than urging players to come out.

[UK Redsox]

Clappy emoticon thingy for all the clubs involved.

The last list I saw had several high profile teams shown as not participating. All all clubs now taking part ?

[pauliewalnuts]

Excellent campaign.

And, he may be a prick most of the time, but well done Joey Barton on this, too. He seems to have stuck his neck out.

[Toronto Villa]

Man U, Spurs, Norwich, Sunderland and Southampton are not supporting this because they were not "consulted".

[Monty]

Man U, Spurs, Norwich, Sunderland and Southampton are not supporting this because they were not "consulted".

Actually, the Guardian reported today that Norwich aren't taking part because they have a deal with Paddy Power which conflicts with Stonewall's partnership with SBOBET. I wonder which would give the best odds if I was betting on Stephen Fry's mood.

[freethinker]

On a different note, another campaign group, Football v Homophobia, has criticised the campaign for "using language which reinforces the very stereotypes and caricatures that ... ensure that homophobia persists".

I think they're referring to the "Right Behind Gay Players" line, and I have to say I thought it was a strange choice of wording myself.

[amfy]

I have heard on WM this morning that we are not participating which is disappointing but I understand why.
It has been done at short notice without consultation and is in conjunction with Paddy Power. The problem for Villa is that they have not had any opportunity to clear his with Dafabet. They didn't say that in so many words - something about 'commercial conflicts given the involvement of Paddy Power'.
To me it is pretty clear that giving free advertising to your shirt sponsor's competitors is not something you can just do.
Villa have said they have already been in contact with Stonewall about what else they can do to promote this cause.
Its a shame - if he laces had just come from Stonewall there'd be no dilemma, but I can see their problem - & I think Paddy Power have done very well at making clubs look like bastards for not giving them a free plug.

[Isa]

I think any campaign like this should be left up to individual players to decide rather then be pushed on them by the club anyway. I feel the same with the poppy issue.

[usav]

It's a pair of laces....who gives a crap who is marketing it or who supplied them?  It's to support something that everyone should be behind (yes, I know) so why can't everyone just put commercial interests aside for once?

[amfy]

So what happens if
afabet withdraw their sponsorship because we're in breach of contract?
With more notice Villa could have consulted with their sponsors and maybe reached a resolution, but I can understand them not launching straight in on this occasion.
Why the big rush? It would have been better on many levels with few weeks notice. clubs could have made a lot more of it than just laces. It honestly smacks of Paddy Power pullng a fast one to get some cheap publicity on the back of a good cause.
Publicity that they'll get whatever happens.

[usav]

I understand that and I agree - I'm bemoaning the commercialism of everything and yes, that includes Paddy Power pulling a fast one, if that's indeed what they are doing.

[amfy]

It is sad because I was really excited when I heard about the rainbow laces this morning! I was going to get some, but the door staff at The Holte Pub already think Jane & I are a couple!
Although the amusement potential of that alone probably makes it worth doing!

[supertom]

Does there really need to be a huge campaign on this in Football? There's far too much politics, ulterior motives and distractions in football. It strikes me as more of a publicity stunt than anything else. I'm all for cutting out homophobia, but is the problem really huge in football?

If clubs take part, then fair enough. At the same time, I don't see why people should get up in arms if they don't. This is a wholly different issue to racism in football, which really blighted the game in the 70's and 80's, and in certain parts of the footy world is still sadly prevalent.

There's also not really a huge gay following with football. Is it going to make a blind bit of difference to the majority of folk who's bread is buttered the other way up? I don't think so really. I don't know, I guess I'm not into all this, "wear this to show..." stuff. Certain things have a long standing meaning and tradition, like Poppies so it has it's place. But I think it just gets taken too far sometimes. It reminds me of the episode in Seinfeld when Kramer gets continually hounded, and chased because he refuses to wear an Aids ribbon.

[Isa]

Agree with most of that supertom. Other, then some chants from away fans at Brighton, is there really anything else truely homophobic in the English game? The barometer I guess will be the reaction to when a player openly comes out (if ever).

[supertom]

Agree with most of that supertom. Other, then some chants from away fans at Brighton, is there really anything else truely homophobic in the English game? The barometer I guess will be (if ever) when a player openly comes out.

I mean to some extent you'll always get a few fans in the stands calling players "poofs" or whatever, but it's not that common. And honestly, as footy fans, when we're pissed off we can use far more colourful language that that.
Obviously though, if you cant take a bit of risque, potentially offensive language then you've got no place being at a football ground, because I don't care where you are, you'll hear something. Obviously there are certain things truly unacceptable, like racist chants but that's thankfully a rarity in the English game now.

I know two gay guys and seriously, you couldn't pay them a million quid to watch a football match, even if Beckham played the entire match in nothing but his budgie smugglers. They'd rather go shopping. That said...if we play like we did against Newcastle again, I might have to join them!