Gareth Thomas Documentary - Homophobia in Football

ATFC Seagull · Jul 28, 2017

Surprised there wasn't already a mention of this on here - cracking documentary last night on homophobia in football, particularly as (as to be expected) as we feature in it a few times. Nothing groundbreaking I suppose but being presented by Gareth Thomas adds a bit of gravitas to it and it's an issue that needs to be continually highlighted. Palace and Leeds fans don't come out of it looking great. Also a car-crash interview from Gordon Taylor and another PFA employee that make Diane Abbot look like a smooth media-operator when asked how they would support an openly gay player.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08z2jpc/alfie-v-homophobia-hate-in-the-beautiful-game

Surprised it was buried on BBC Wales last night and not nationwide.

Albion-related bits are first 5 mins and last 15 mins if you're interested.

(Apologies if fixtures, had a nose through the first couple of pages and couldn't see anything).

fly high · Jul 28, 2017

ATFC Seagull said:
Surprised there wasn't already a mention of this on here - cracking documentary last night on homophobia in football, particularly as (as to be expected) as we feature in it a few times. Nothing groundbreaking I suppose but being presented by Gareth Thomas adds a bit of gravitas to it and it's an issue that needs to be continually highlighted. Palace and Leeds fans don't come out of it looking great. Also a car-crash interview from Gordon Taylor and another PFA employee that make Diane Abbot look like a smooth media-operator when asked how they would support an openly gay player.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08z2jpc/alfie-v-homophobia-hate-in-the-beautiful-game

Surprised it was buried on BBC Wales last night and not nationwide.

Albion-related bits are first 5 mins and last 15 mins if you're interested.

(Apologies if fixtures, had a nose through the first couple of pages and couldn't see anything).

I was also surprised this hadn't been mentioned on here before. Really think it is wrong of BBC not to show it nationwide, shame on them.

Publius Ovidius · Jul 28, 2017

It was well covered on bbc breakfast yesterday on both radio and tv and one comment he made was regarding the observations that they were planning for this season coming......." .....having brighton in the top division, and brighton suffer the worst type of homophobic behaviour from opposition fans......will be interesting to see how this will be tackled by the authorities as the matches will be shown world wide....."

The usual suspects on here will say it's all banter and we are too precious about it of course, but it was interesting that Thomas related it to the racist chanting of the last century.

ATFC Seagull · Jul 28, 2017

Publius Ovidius said:
It was well covered on bbc breakfast yesterday on both radio and tv and one comment he made was regarding the observations that they were planning for this season coming......." .....having brighton in the top division, and brighton suffer the worst type of homophobic behaviour from opposition fans......will be interesting to see how this will be tackled by the authorities as the matches will be shown world wide....."

The usual suspects on here will say it's all banter and we are too precious about it of course, but it was interesting that Thomas related it to the racist chanting of the last century.

I think what was good about the documentary is that the abuse directed towards Brighton was, quite rightly, treated not in the context of how it is received by Brighton fans - but how it really highlights the poisonous atmosphere in which gay players are plying their trade.

Thunder Bolt · Jul 28, 2017

He's a great bloke. He got on our coach at the services & spoke to quite a few of us on the way to Leeds & back.
He really showed up the Palace fans in that documentary.

BBassic · Jul 28, 2017

Good find, going to watch this at home later.

Gwylan · Jul 28, 2017

It was interesting to see that both he and Rogers found additional sponsorship opportunities after coming out. Particularly as the financial implications are often cited as reasons not to come out - looks like the reverse is the case.

I must say that while the attitude of those in control of football is deplorable, I'm not sure that rugby or cricket is any better - at least in the male game: Alfie is still the only top-class rugby player to come out and only Steve Davies has come out in cricket (unless you count Sussex's Alan Hansford who only played a handful of games). Women's sport is different: there are several openly lesbian players, I wonder why it's more acceptable in women's teams.

hans kraay fan club · Jul 28, 2017

fly high said:
I was also surprised this hadn't been mentioned on here before. Really think it is wrong of BBC not to show it nationwide, shame on them.

The BBC have found both the will and the resources to actually MAKE this program. I'm not sure they are really deserving of shame being heaped upon them, for it, because they've only shown it on one channel (and on line, and all over their news and sport websites).

Tricky Dicky · Jul 28, 2017

Gwylan said:
It was interesting to see that both he and Rogers found additional sponsorship opportunities after coming out. Particularly as the financial implications are often cited as reasons not to come out - looks like the reverse is the case.

I've said for a while that the first footballer to come out, provided he is reasonably marketable, will make a bundle in endorsements. The only downside I can see is the remaining few dinosaurs in the stands.

Albion_Dave · Jul 28, 2017

fly high said:
I was also surprised this hadn't been mentioned on here before. Really think it is wrong of BBC not to show it nationwide, shame on them.

A very quick search shows that it will be on BBC2, Sunday 6th August.

Gazwag · Jul 28, 2017

Gwylan said:
I wonder why it's more acceptable in women's teams.

Because a lot of men always have the attitude that all women that play sport are gay.

Normal Rob · Jul 28, 2017

Gordan Taylor - now you wouldn't be reading from a pre-scripted text on an autocue positioned above and behind Gareth Thomas' left shoulder would you?

what's worse, if that was pre-scripted

? Jesus wept...

Hamilton · Jul 28, 2017

How depressing a documentary. It's clear that football itself (except for a very few pockets) has done nothing to combat homophobia.

How is Gordon Taylor still in a job? How is Greg Clarke not tackling this head on?

El Presidente · Jul 28, 2017

Seems that the Premier League (and the FA) are far more interested in acting in respect of protecting their TV revenues by using the courts in relation to Kodi than they are to protect kids from sexual abuse from coaches and players and fans from homophobic behaviour by those in the game and those who watch it.

As for the Palace fans who failed to turn up to a meeting with him, embarrassing cowards. Proud and Palace do a lot to bring that lot into the 21st century but they still have a lot of knuckle draggers (and lets be honest, we have a few too).

Was it an official Palace forum in which Gareth Thomas posted his comments? Such replies would not be tolerated on NSC, I would be appalled if that was allowed of the likes of the Holmesdale too.

wellquickwoody · Jul 28, 2017

Gazwag said:
Because a lot of men always have the attitude that all women that play sport are gay.

Source?

Hamilton · Jul 28, 2017

El Presidente said:
Seems that the Premier League (and the FA) are far more interested in acting in respect of protecting their TV revenues by using the courts in relation to Kodi than they are to protect kids from sexual abuse from coaches and players and fans from homophobic behaviour by those in the game and those who watch it.

As for the Palace fans who failed to turn up to a meeting with him, embarrassing cowards. Proud and Palace do a lot to bring that lot into the 21st century but they still have a lot of knuckle draggers (and lets be honest, we have a few too).

Was it an official Palace forum in which Gareth Thomas posted his comments? Such replies would not be tolerated on NSC, I would be appalled if that was allowed of the likes of the Holmesdale too.

I'd love to think that if our town did not have such a significant LGBT population then we'd be a club that was far more progressive. That's an impossible scenario to imagine, but one knows that homophobia exists everywhere. I know that's a no sh*t Sherlock comment.

El Presidente · Jul 28, 2017

wellquickwoody said:
Source?

I've got a copy of a film called Lesbian Lockerroom Secrets Volume 26 if it helps?

Gazwag · Jul 28, 2017

wellquickwoody said:
Source?

Being alive in the 80's

wellquickwoody · Jul 28, 2017

El Presidente said:
I've got a copy of a film called Lesbian Lockerroom Secrets Volume 26 if it helps?

Why am I not surprised? :facepalm:

wellquickwoody · Jul 28, 2017

Gazwag said:
Being alive in the 80's

You haven't moved on then? :lol:

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