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'F*ggot, Fairy, Gay Tw*t' – The Shocking Homophobia Faced By Grassroots Footballers

LGBTQ footballers are being subjected to sickening homophobic abuse from rival fans and players – and say the FA isn’t doing enough to hold people accountable.

Players facing offensive language and even violence on the pitch say the national governing body is not “fit for purpose” and is letting bigots get away with behaviour that wouldn’t be tolerated anywhere else.

The disgusting words thrown at footballers include “f*ggot”, “fairy”, “gay tw*t” and “nonce”.

What’s more, those on the ground say the problem is getting worse despite the FA’s lip service to tackling homophobia in recent years. One man suggested the prime minister’s own offensive language about gay people, or even Brexit, could be emboldening people who would otherwise keep quiet.

James Cole, 36, has played for LGBTQ-inclusive team Village Manchester Football Club for six years as a midfielder and right-back. Earlier this season, he heard an opposition player refer to his team as “a bunch of f*ggots”. Last week, an opposition supporter told one of his colleagues: “F*ck off, you gay tw*t.”

Players from Village Manchester Football Club, which describes itself as 'gay and inclusive'
Players from Village Manchester Football Club, which describes itself as 'gay and inclusive'

“Homophobia often seems to go hand-in-hand with violent conduct, in my experience,” he told HuffPost UK.

Of the most recent incident, he said: “The game started off in quite an aggressive atmosphere, with one of the opposition players threatening that someone would get an elbow if they weren’t careful, then it escalated from there.”

The only communication received from the Football Association centrally, Cole said, has been a one-line email asking if VMFC members would be willing to participate in a tribunal – should one be held.

“We do this as a hobby – it’s something that is supposed to be fun and supposed to be enjoyed,” he said.

“When you hear something like that, it makes you feel upset, it makes you feel small. It reminds you of the sort of thing you heard all the way through school and it makes it very difficult to focus on a game of football.

“I...

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