Eight per cent of fans ‘wouldn’t watch team containing gay player’

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8% said they wouldn't want to follow their team if it had a gay player.

But of those that said they wouldn't have a problem with it how many would still stoop to abuse an out gay player who was playing for the opposition? Or at least say nothing to the homophobe alongside?
 
HCAFC (Airlie Tiger) said:
To be fair in the 70's racism was very much part of 'fantastic banter' and 'family life'. Just look at TV programs from back then, attitudes have changed for the better.
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That was OK then. Obviously the reason the local media never mentioned the bants involving Clive Sullivan.
 
I was pretty pissed off that there was quite a sizeable number of people chanting "Even Brighton think you're queer" at Palace fans on Saturday. We even have a 'pride' flag behind one of the goals.

Trouble is is that it only takes one disgusting twat before the ****ing morons start following him.
.
Shame that football lives in the dark ages but I don't think it'll ever truly accept it.
 
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ElTigre said:
8% said they wouldn't want to follow their team if it had a gay player.

But of those that said they wouldn't have a problem with it how many would still stoop to abuse an out gay player who was playing for the opposition? Or at least say nothing to the homophobe alongside?
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Why would he say anything to a soft sod who has a deep fear of homosexuals?
 
PLT said:
I think opposition to all these things is exaggerated. Most people won't know a gay person, and some might say these things, but would they really have a problem with someone they met if it turned out their were gay? I think the vast, vast majority of people are fine with it.

I think the BBC sometimes get a bit obsessed with these things. Every week or so at the moment there's a new analysis on this gay footballers thing. They used to go on about black managers constantly. Maybe at some point it'll be that there's not enough black goalkeepers. For some reason you don't see many of those do you?
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do you really mean that? I'd be astonished if there was anyone but a very small minority that didn't know a gay person at all?
I agree with the rest of the point though. The 8% who said they would stop going won't stop going, or not for that reason anyway...its nonsense

there is an issue inside football though, because it is statistically very unlikely that there are no gay footballers, but for some reason none want to come out. I think that is more likely to be a cultural thing in clubs themselves
 
Homophobia in sport: Most fans 'would welcome gay players' - BBC survey

Most sports fans in England, Wales and Scotland say they would be comfortable with their club signing a gay player, according to a BBC Radio 5 live survey.

It found 82% of supporters would have no issue with a gay player.

However, 8% of football fans said they would stop watching their team.

Greg Clarke told MPs he was "cautious" of encouraging a player to come out because they may suffer "significant abuse" from fans.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live on Wednesday, Clarke said he stood by his "personal view" that "vile abuse" from a "small minority on the terraces" must be solved before any gay footballers "take that risk" to come out.

"If they want to take that risk I would respect them and support them," said Clarke. "But we can't promise to provide them at the moment with the required protection. We need to redouble our efforts to provide that safe space."

Clarke added that he hoped to achieve that in a "year or two".

In an online survey of more than 4,000 people commissioned by Afternoon Edition and carried out by ComRes, 71% of football fans said clubs should do more to educate fans about homophobia.

And 47% of all sports fans - 50% of football supporters - say they have heard homophobic abuse at matches.

Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton told Afternoon Edition that Clarke had "taken the easy way out" by being "dictated to by 8% of cavemen".

Sutton, who played for Norwich, Blackburn, Chelsea and Celtic, said: "Coming out wouldn't be a problem in the workplace. Working at a football club is just like anywhere else. Players I played with wouldn't bat an eyelid.

"This 8% shouldn't be allowed in football grounds. By not taking it on, the 8% are the winners in all of this. Greg Clarke should be taking these people on.

"It's bonkers in our society that people like this can dictate whether someone can come out or not."

Simone Pound, head of equality and diversity at the Professional Footballers' Association, told BBC Sport the PFA and the FA were not "blaming any one particular group" for a lack of visibly out gay players.

"I have worked in the game for over 15 years and I have certainly seen a shift in the culture as well as greater understanding and acceptance of LGBT people," she said.

"Coming out is a personal journey that is up to each and every individual. The PFA will continue our work tackling homophobia until someone does come out and thereafter."

An FA spokesman said it "welcomed the statistics" as a "sense check" on homophobia. It said it takes "strong action" against anyone found guilty of "homophobic, biphobic or transphobic abuse".

On Wednesday, gay rugby league player Keegan Hirst, 28, guest edits a special Afternoon Edition programme on homophobia in sport on BBC Radio 5 live from 13:00 BST.

The survey of fans of 11 different sports also found:

  • More sports fans (12%) would feel uncomfortable with a rival player joining their club than a gay player (8%)

  • 7% of sports fans would stop watching their team if they signed a gay player

  • 57% of sports fans believe gay players should come out to help others do the same

  • 18% of sports fans believe gay players should "keep it to themselves"

  • 15% of sports fans think having a gay player on a team would make other team-mates feel uncomfortable

  • 50% of football fans say they have heard homophobic abuse, 51% have heard sexist abuse and 59% have heard racist abuse
Are there any gay footballers?

Justin Fashanu became the first player in England to come out as gay in 1990, but took his own life in 1998, aged 37. No male professional player has since come out while playing in England.

Former Germany and Aston Villa player Thomas Hitzlsperger became the first player with Premier League experience to publicly reveal his homosexuality, in January 2014, after he had finished playing in England.

American ex-Leeds United winger Robbie Rogers announced his retirement at the same time as revealing he was gay, saying it was "impossible" to come out and remain in the game, although he subsequently returned to football with American team LA Galaxy.

Former England women's captain Casey Stoney was the first active footballer to come out in England since Fashanu, in February 2014.

Swedish lower league player Anton Hysen, son of former Liverpool player Glenn Hysen, publicly announced his homosexuality in an interview with a Swedish football magazine in 2011.

How does the UK compare globally?
Out On The Fields, a two-year global study of homophobia in sport, examined the experience for players and spectators in English-speaking countries including the UK, United States, Canada and Australia.

Study manager Erik Denison said "rates of homophobia in sport were rampant right around the world".

He told BBC Radio 5 live that the UK had "many more" young people willing to come out to their team-mates than in other countries, but that LGBT spectators felt they were "not very safe" at sporting events in comparison.

He said: "What was a bit alarming in the UK was that young people were more likely than older generations to say that they had personally been targeted by homophobia in the form of slurs, bullying, and assaults."

My tweet was 'totally wrong'
Coventry City defender Chris Stokes was banned, fined and sent on an FA education course after tweeting the word "***gots" when commenting on a Chelsea-Tottenham Premier League match in May.

He apologised, immediately removed the tweet and told BBC Radio 5 live that "what I said was totally wrong".

The 25-year-old added: "Nowadays, how the world is, it is a great time for someone who is gay to come out.

"They would get the full support from the changing room - and hopefully the full support of people in the stand."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/37760114
 
originallambrettaman said:
The 25-year-old added: "Nowadays, how the world is, it is a great time for someone who is gay to come out.

"They would get the full support from the changing room - and hopefully the full support of people in the stand."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/37760114
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I'm not sure why they'd need support, but that reads as though the football community wouldn't be the issue, which leaves what? Society? Media?
 
HCAFC (Airlie Tiger) said:
Because of their secret vendetta against Hull City, football and everything it stands for of course.
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Undoubtedly a conspiracy. Which is why you don't hear much about it apart from the few in the know. Like Roswell and governments covering up the shape-shiftingbaliens amongst us.

Anyone who believes the local rag is less than unbiased is deluded. Though it isn't as bad as in Deehan's day.
 
Castro's Coffin said:
Undoubtedly a conspiracy. Which is why you don't hear much about it apart from the few in the know. Like Roswell and governments covering up the shape-shiftingbaliens amongst us.

Anyone who believes the local rag is less than unbiased is deluded. Though it isn't as bad as in Deehan's day.
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Radio Humberside is certainly biased, the amount of coverage Grimsby and Scunthorpe get is ridiculous.
 
originallambrettaman said:
It's a survey, not a made up story.

There isn't a single known gay footballer playing in England. Obviously some players will be gay, but feel they feel the need to hide the fact.

So there is an issue with gay footballers, they have to pretend to be straight and pretending there is no issue, prevents that from ever changing.
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'The have to pretend to be straight' ? Behave man. No they don't they don't have to pretend anything. Why should it be common knowledge what goes on behind closed doors between consenting adults ? Do you want everyone to wear a badge perhaps ?
It's a totally pointless survey.
Obviously there will be some gay players, my point is, so what ? No-one is bothered. You claim 'they need to hide the fact' No they don't, it is a private matter and I'm sure if they wanted to scream it from the roof tops, then they could, but if anything this pointless survey tells me that is no big deal at all. Might as well say 10% are Jehovans Witnesses.
So what ?
 
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