The Premier League Thread

Yet again more trouble at the Olympic Stadium last night involviing West Ham and Chelsea. It beggars belief what will happen when Tottenham turn up? Maybe West Ham should not to sell any tickets to away fans to curb the trouble. Millwall implemented that policy in 2002/03 for several of their home games where there was a risk of clashes between the rival sets of supporters. West Ham will have to do the same for this match.

 

If you think that a couple of professional footballers 'coming out' is suddenly going to make all football supporters become open-minded, all-embracing individuals, then I'm afraid that is wishful thinking. Why do you think there are still hundreds of racist fans that attend Chelsea games, despite the likes of Drogba, Willian, Kante, and going further back, Paul Elliot, Ruud Gullit, Jimmy-Floyd etc having represented their club? It's because bigots are bigots, and trying to make these people change their views, is not football's fight. It's society's fight. And to be honest, it's a fight that society is gradually winning. I'd imagine that 8% is much lower than it would have been in the 90's/80's. We just can't expect changes to happen overnight.

Furthermore, once we start expecting football players to be brave role models for the younger generation to learn from, then by the same token we can't really complain when one of them is found guilty of rape, child abuse, drink driving etc.

 

I understand what you're saying Black and agree for the most part.

The only thing I disagree about is the fact that their team mates might know etc. Because I don't think that's always the case.

It's been said this is as big an issue as coming out to the public with feeling unable to take partners to award dinners or have them move in etc. for fear of the press cottoning on.

I agree that they shouldn't have to tell anyone, but it can't be much fun living such a big part of your life so secretly.

 

I don't, but it is part of the solution to changing attitudes - and it will change a few minds.

Yes, but at the moment that 8% of bigots is winning when it comes to football. Gay players can't get married, have boyfriends with them in public and so on or be open about their lives - that 8% is forcing them to hide who they really are.

I'm not sure what you mean . I don't like that they are role models, but society has deemed them so de facto, even if not officially. So they need to be held to higher standards than normal ~18-30yr olds, not lower standards.

 

It shouldn't be "why should a gay/bi person have to come out" it should be "A gay/bi person should be able to come out if they want"

And as you can see by the poll, some people are still very against that.

 

There is no way that either of us could possibly know the truth here. Perhaps you're right. But I also wouldn't be surprised if we found out soon that several footballers have in fact revealed to teammates the truth about their sexuality. I can only really think about our current Saints squad as I don't have enough interest in other teams, but it really doesn't seem to me that too many of our bunch would have a problem. Let's face it, it would be hard to keep a secret when you spend almost every day with your peers. If there had been any case of friction over the years, surely it would have revealed itself one way or another.

 

Couldn't see it on the forum, so apologies if I'm repeating, but the rumour mill is ticking over nicely on twitter that Man City are after Clyne. Liverpool fans are getting into a bit of a frenzy. Quite entertaining really.

 

And this is why most gay/bi people will never feel safe enough to live a normal life....


Claims that homophobic anti-Chelsea song sheets were distributed at West Ham's London Stadium are being investigated.

Hammers fan Nadeem Qureshi posted an image of one of the flyers, urging fans to sing homophobic lyrics about Chelsea captain John Terry, on social media.

Qureshi told BBC Radio 5 live that the leaflets were being handed out before the home side's 2-1 EFL Cup win.

"It was quite idiotic and a bit disgusting," he said.

Qureshi told BBC Radio 5 live's Afternoon Edition that the song sheets seemed to be being handed out by "one person being moronic" and said no fans were singing the chant.

BBC Radio 5 live sports news correspondent Richard Conway, who was at the game, said he heard no evidence of homophobic chanting.

The match was marred by crowd disorder with the police making seven arrests.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said its investigation into the disturbances will include "a leaflet handed out before the match containing homophobic contents".

West Ham told BBC Sport it was "investigating the alleged distribution of these flyers" and would "take the strongest possible action against those responsible".

Anti-discrimination group Kick It Out said it had "received reports of homophobic literature being distributed" and had reported it to the Football Association, which is also investigating.

bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37789705

 

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Kerching....more money for us. Sadly, I can't see him being sold.

 

Most people have absolutely no problem with it and I suspect modern players have moved on the same way the general public has. You couldn't work as closely together as the players do and not know.

 

Exactly.

 

If a top class Welsh rugby player can come out to his team-mates and the only responses are shrugs, I would hope that that would be true for top-class football players as well. (GarethThomas, if you were wondering)

 

I do wonder how many of the 8% get, shall we say... excited... by watching girl on girl porn. Of course, that's OK because it's not at all threatening and provides hours of fun...

 

Yep:
Girl on Girl = hot
Guy and Guy = nasty

 

I do find it slightly staggering that the stadium itself apparently appears to be sited as being at the centre of all the blame for this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04d87ny

First, WHU supporters said it was too quiet. Rubbish. It was actually designed to amplify noise made by the crowd. Hence it's why 2,000+ Saints supporters made a huge racket up there, and why the London Olympics were so rousing. But like other stadia, if you don't shout you won't be heard.
Secondly, I believe the resentment from other supporters to WHU getting a superb stadium for peanuts may be the catalyst for flaming deeper set troubles between all London clubs. Perhaps this is where the pot of boiling. I'm bound to think that WHU aren't managing the biggest potential fillip they've ever had, to their progress, very well.

 

From what I've seen the media have overplayed the trouble massively.

Don't get me wrong I'm not condoning it at all but it was hardly 'a throwback to the 80s' like some have reported it.

The problem with the stadum is it's all one big concourse, so anyone can run around the ground and give verbals to away fans if they choose.

 

They didn't manage their seat allocations well....groups that had always been together got broken up. You are therefore getting noisy people who like to stand mixed in with the more rational and sensible ones Imagine the Northam fans scattered through the Chapel.

There was also a policing problem...the police wouldn't go into the stadium because they couldn't use their communication systems.

However, whatever excuses they make, you could put Southampton into the same stadium without riots breaking out.

 

That's what stewarding or even good temporary structures can overcome. I mean, for pete's sake, they get the stadium for sod all, so spend some sodding money, WHU.

 

Homophobic chants
Homophobic leaflets
Chairs being ripped up
A few people with their heads cut open
People fighting

That's more then enough for me