Gay Footballer Survey

[Cricko]

We received this today to Admin and I thought it would be an idea for you all to post your thoughts on this and then I will pass them on to the guy.

Dear Editor,

Gay Footballers...Appreciated or Unwelcome?

I have a project ongoing that I hope you might be able to help with in terms of exposure. I am carrying out an anonymous survey on fans' views towards gay football players. This is in response to the Premier League dropping a campaign on this issue and Max Clifford claiming that 'football is steeped in homophobia'. We want to assess how fans feel about this. Our pilot data was published in The Observer on Sunday and discussed again on The Nolan show on Radio 5Live on Sunday evening and BBC Radio Leeds and Stoke this week. The address is: www.topfan.co.uk and the site is being managed by Staffordshire University.

I hope you think it is a valuable study and I hope you can help me gain some positive responses.

Kind regards

Jamie

Dr. Jamie Cleland
Senior Lecturer
Sport and Exercise
Staffordshire University

 

[Matt the Shrimp]

Football is endemically steeped in homophobia. Gay people make up something like 5% of the general population. If we presume there are 2300 professional footballers (92 clubs, average squad size of 25), that means on a purely statistical basis, there are potentially 115 gay footballers out there.

Can you name one of them? I can't. The only footballer I ever knew to be outed - Justin Fashanu - ended up taking his own life.

It will take a very brave man indeed to come out of the closet if he's a footballer...

 

[TrueBlue]

We received this today to Admin and I thought it would be an idea for you all to post your thoughts on this and then I will pass them on to the guy.

Dear Editor,

Gay Footballers...Appreciated or Unwelcome?

I have a project ongoing that I hope you might be able to help with in terms of exposure. I am carrying out an anonymous survey on fans' views towards gay football players. This is in response to the Premier League dropping a campaign on this issue and Max Clifford claiming that 'football is steeped in homophobia'. We want to assess how fans feel about this. Our pilot data was published in The Observer on Sunday and discussed again on The Nolan show on Radio 5Live on Sunday evening and BBC Radio Leeds and Stoke this week. The address is: www.topfan.co.uk and the site is being managed by Staffordshire University.

I hope you think it is a valuable study and I hope you can help me gain some positive responses.

Kind regards

Jamie

Dr. Jamie Cleland
Senior Lecturer
Sport and Exercise
Staffordshire University

Not welcome sodding woofters

 

[Cricko]

Thanks Matt and I have passed your comments on...my mistake but for those that wish to comment on this can they fill in the survey here..

http://www.topfan.co.uk/

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

FWIW I think Matt's quite right-unfortunately.

 

[D.O.L.L.]

Well Im not Homophobic.....................................I love my house

 

[TrueBlue]

Well Im not Homophobic.....................................I love my house

Ba dum tishhhhh

lol!

 

[davewebbsbrain]

I think we should have a gay keeper and a gay defence for England in the world cup. At least it would stiffen up the back 4

 

[Sandbach Shrimper]

Why does everything have to perfectly equal and representative these days? Must have the right amount of women, blacks, gays. At the end of the day football is a very macho sport and culture and if a player were to come out he would still get lynced by opposition fans. It might also be a bit awkward with his team-mates in the showers etc... I don't think football will ever be very popular with gays, they're probably put off by it.

 

[Hotman]

Football is endemically steeped in homophobia. Gay people make up something like 5% of the general population. If we presume there are 2300 professional footballers (92 clubs, average squad size of 25), that means on a purely statistical basis, there are potentially 115 gay footballers out there.

Can you name one of them? I can't. The only footballer I ever knew to be outed - Justin Fashanu - ended up taking his own life.

It will take a very brave man indeed to come out of the closet if he's a footballer...

Why would statistics apply? Opens up a whole question of nature vs nurture... but surely those growing up in the football world would be far less likely to shag another bloke.

Case in hand - if you take theatre actors, 95% would be straight using your theory - not a ****ing chance!!!

 

[Slipperduke]

I couldn't give a toss whether a player is gay or straight. Either way, they're probably less of a **** than John Terry.

 

[ldnfatso]

As long as the net is the only thing they stick their balls in i don't care!

You don't hear this sort of thing on the darts forums!

 

[bigmolt]

Has anyone forewarded this survey on to Bailey at Charlton yet ?

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

I thought Sol Campbell was....

 

[Pubey]

I do tend to agree with MC that it's unlikely that football has a proportion of homosexuals similar to the average population. However I'd bet that there are some gay footballers, and whilst it's there perrogative to keep their sexuality private if they wish... it's disappointing that homophobia remains rife in football, and the PFA actually recommend that any gay fooaballers don't come out.

Like Gareth Thomas in Rugby, I reckon it would only take a couple of high profile players to come out to stamp out homophobia and to allow other players to be open without fear of abuse. Whether football has any gay players with a similar level of bottle to Thomas is another matter.

I find it baffling in this day and age why football is so backwards in this respect. It'd be great if the FA/PFA said it would fully support any player who decides to come out, instead of telling them to keep it a secret. I personally find it an insult as a football fan as if they expect everyone to suddenly gay-bash a player from the stands.

 

[OldBlueLady]

I couldn't give a toss whether a player is gay or straight. Either way, they're probably less of a **** than John Terry.

And more of a man than Wayne Bridge!!! :p

I couldn't give a flying fig if a player is straight or gay, he hasn't committed a crime (well, hopefully not!) so therefore all that's important is what they do on the field. Mind you are we then going to sling as much mud if a player is caught at a gay club as we do at those who like a drink? It's their private lives and as long as they're not bringing disrepute on their club then it's fine by me.

 

[Pubey]

And more of a man than Wayne Bridge!!! :p

I couldn't give a flying fig if a player is straight or gay, he hasn't committed a crime (well, hopefully not!) so therefore all that's important is what they do on the field. Mind you are we then going to sling as much mud if a player is caught at a gay club as we do at those who like a drink? It's their private lives and as long as they're not bringing disrepute on their club then it's fine by me.

I doubt going to a gay club is going to impact on your ability to play football. Repeatedly getting smashed in Mayhem and being a fat ****-head will....

 

[ldnfatso]

I do tend to agree with MC that it's unlikely that football has a proportion of homosexuals similar to the average population. However I'd bet that there are some gay footballers, and whilst it's there perrogative to keep their sexuality private if they wish... it's disappointing that homophobia remains rife in football, and the PFA actually recommend that any gay fooaballers don't come out.

Like Gareth Thomas in Rugby, I reckon it would only take a couple of high profile players to come out to stamp out homophobia and to allow other players to be open without fear of abuse. Whether football has any gay players with a similar level of bottle to Thomas is another matter.

I find it baffling in this day and age why football is so backwards in this respect. It'd be great if the FA/PFA said it would fully support any player who decides to come out, instead of telling them to keep it a secret. I personally find it an insult as a football fan as if they expect everyone to suddenly gay-bash a player from the stands.

I completely agree with you, but lets not kid ourselves in thinking Football is the only sport guilty here!

 

[Pubey]

I completely agree with you, but lets not kid ourselves in thinking Football is the only sport guilty here!

Cheers Steve. No it's not, I hope I didn't imply that.

 

[Slipperduke]

There are gay players, there are also gay managers. In fairness though, it's entirely down to them whether or not they come out. In an ideal world, it wouldn't make any difference, but I think we all know that we live in a society of utter *****. The first fabulous head over the parapets will get more than a bloody nose.