Der Hammer

[Ron Manager]

Thank God he didnt announce this when he was at West Ham. Der Hammer would have been well and truly 'hammered'

Intelligent lad, doesnt need football to get through life.

[Fergal]

What a shame it has to be an announcement.

[SashasGrandad]

It's a shame he's retired - we could do with him in our midfield!

[richardhubbard]

He was married , so obviously difficult issue to have lived with.

Good luck to the lad, good player, decent intelligent bloke.

Should be no issue for him in 2014 , wish him well

[OzVilla]

I was only thinking about him today.

Not in that way.........................

Just that despite playing for other clubs I think he'll always be a Villa man.

[dekko]

Good that he's come out but a shame he had to wait till he'd retired. Genuinely unsure how modern players would react. Is it such a big issue for people under 30? Or am I just basing that on a fairly unrepresentative sample of pinko liberal post uni students that I hang around with?

I don't have any articles or quotes to hand, so you'll have to take my word for it, but most of the players/former players who were asked about the subject in the media when Robbie Rogers came out basically said that nobody in the dressing room would care.  In fact, some said that there were plenty of players who were known to be gay by their teammates to the point that they would bring their partners to club functions and so on and it was never an issue.  The reason these guys didn't come out was because they were afraid of the reaction they'd get off opposition fans, and home fans (because if they went through a bad run of form everyone would assume it was something to do with theur sexuality.)

Hopefully in a few years this sort of thing won't be news any more, but for the time being well done Der Hammer.

[London Villan]

It's crazy today that actors, singers, politicians, business people etc etc can all be openly gay, but not footballers. I bet most of the posters on here couldn't care less what the sexuality of a player is.

[ADVILLAFAN]

He was married , so obviously difficult issue to have lived with.

Good luck to the lad, good player, decent intelligent bloke.

Should be no issue for him in 2014 , wish him well

I was going to say that he had a girlfriend when he was with us, as she went to college with a friend of a friend.

[Damo70]

It's crazy today that actors, singers, politicians, business people etc etc can all be openly gay, but not footballers. I bet most of the posters on here couldn't care less what the sexuality of a player is.

I think the difference between footballers and all of the above is, as dekko said, a fear of the reaction of opposition fans. I read a football autobiography recently, I can't remember whose because I read a lot of them, but they said most of football knew Fashanu was gay for years and didn't care. I think these days the dressing room would be as accepting as any workplace and the club's supporters would be supportive. Most opponents also with the odd exception I would expect. The fear would be a backlash from opposition fans and the fear of certain managers not wanting you due to these possible complications.

[rjp]

The beeb have picked it up now.

Good luck to him.

[glasses]

It's crazy today that actors, singers, politicians, business people etc etc can all be openly gay, but not footballers. I bet most of the posters on here couldn't care less what the sexuality of a player is.

I was just thinking that.

Imagine any other job whereby you feel you couldn't 'come out' until you retired?

It should be a 'so what?' moment, and hopefully will be in time, but it looks like Der hammer has taken the step to publicly announce it so that his actions may make others feel less concerned about being public. Fair play to him for that.

I loved his goals (special mention to the best late winner I've ever seen at the Reebok), and when you look at it he's had a hell of a career.

[E I Adio]

What a crazy world that this should even be news.

[Toronto Villa]

What a shame it has to be an announcement.

My feelings entirely.

Best wishes for everything Tommy

[not3bad]

News Now has gone mental with this.

The best headline is from the Daily Mirror, which is giving "live updates".

[olaftab]

This is no news but it is. Thomas is a lovely  decent man. I hope his announcement helps others in similar predicament.