Gay Players...Appreciated or Unwelcome?

Agree with Fear --- Personaly don't give a monkeys as long as they can play.....

It's an indictment on our society that gay footballers don't feel they can 'come out'. When this is discussed, you get the dinosaur pros saying that it would be bad for the dressing room and team morale and the terraces just wouldn't accept it. These are poor excuses and we should work harder as a society to be more inclusive. I don't have particularly liberal political views, but where our society is concerned I feel we need to be more accepting and inclusive. Personally I couldn't care less about the sexuality of any of the players at VP (it's not like they can help it!) or any other visiting players. It's got nothing to do with football.

RoyalVilla, you say its an indictment on our society that gay footballers don't feel they can 'come out'. It can be argued that it is an indicment on society that some people are either gay or are accepted for being gay by some people. Just because some people aren't as liberal and accepting of sodomy as others doesn't necessarily make them dinosaurs. In the same way as I wouldn't say that someone who has pro gay views is a queer lover.

kreskivilla, I am sure somebody gay could make a pass. They could shoot, but may have had a little dribble first. And as for head, that would probably be the strongest part of their game. They are also very pleased that ends are changed at half time. But the biggest danger would be in them deliberately playing poorly, so that the manager has to pull them off.

I'm sure there are gay players in the premier league, but they know how much abuse they would get (e.g. stick from fans) if they came out. It would be a source of banter for away fans, but perhaps some players wouldn't deal well with it

Fans opinions aren't really the issue. The fans represent a slighted slanted cross section of society and in the same way that racism still persists, and most of us have illogical feelings towards residents of other areas of the country based on football alliegences and experience, homophobic behaviour is very much in evidence on the terraces (as it is in most local bars, boxing gyms etc etc that are traditional male dominated environments). I for one couldn't care less and would happilly welcome a gay centre forward to the Villa if he could score 20 or more league goals a season.

voiceofholte - Everybody's entitled to their stance and that should always be respected. I only get irked when people take there point of view to far, and they're not able to able to fully substanciate their beliefs, I don't beleive that you're one of these people. All I will say is that if a gay soldier checked my arse out in the shower then I wouldn't blame him, it's a nice arse. It's only if he laughs and points after checking out by behind that I'd begin to have a problem with it.

It's hardly a state secret that there are gay players within the Premier League and, dare I suggest, ever closer to home. But there's a different between out-gay and not. And even scene gay and non-scene. Heck, 40 years ago the UK had a gay Prime Minister. Times do change.

Wow, some interesting views on here. Astonguerilla - some great comments. Some of the others seem to be missing the point about gays altogether, deeming it to be choice. I have some 'unstraight' family members and can tell you that choice is not a factor at all. They go through immense soul searching and pain, maybe some people should catch up with reality and leave prejudice aside. Some people who served this country with great pride and dignity were gay - and we should be grateful for their contribution. However to answer the question - I agree with Astonguerilla - who cares? There are also some hypocrites on here too I suspect, given the Matthew Upson chants, which are an absolute disgrace and just show why any gay player would want to keep his mouth shut.

JayVFC - interesting point, but I'm afraid it honestly wouldn't bother me, I genuinly don't give a **** about yours or anyone elses orientation. I'd hate that player with all my heart because he's wearing a blues shirt, simple as. I know that contradicts my previous point but I suppose I use football rivalaries to offload my playground urges to hate without rhymne nor reason, at the end of the day it's still just football banter; the same can't be said for homophobia and racism. P.s. voiceoftheholte - would a gay squadie really try and climb into your sleeping bag? I thought that kind of thing only happened in prison, that's a whole different type of gayness.

and before somebody else says it . . . . . . my boyfriend has he same opinion as well.

fascinating reactions/debate, didn't realise it would cause such an interesting debate today to be honest. I remember in Berlin once a gay chap walked passed me, eyed me up and down and said something and wolf whistled... My mates were absolutely disgusted and couldn't believe I wasn't. Sod it, (wrong phrase actually) the chap paid me a compliment, only compliment I got that day as well. I didn't feel totally comfortable about it but was better than him looking and turning his nose up or going yuk! As astonguerrilla also understands, when you are so good looking (or in his case his arse it seems!!!!!) you have to take these things in your stride and it is better than them laughing at you! lol. Serious point though, I don't believe it is a choice, so I can't see how any of us who are straight have the right to say it is wrong morally, in the name of religion (and I do so hate the hatred religion preaches) or anything else. If you were bothered by someone coming on to you, fine, if not, live and let live. Not keen on the camp presenters but then, I have an off switch on my tv. Wouldn't bother me at all if it was a blues player either, but can understand that point as above, fans will go for anything to upset an opponent.

Hello Vitals been hanging around 100% villa for about 4 years but im more of a reader than a poster and there is usually about 30 people who have already posted something similar to what i would have typed anyway so i never really bother...plus im a lazy git, but this debate is too fascinating to not jump in. what would happen if every superstar player from pele to messi turned out to be gay, how long would it take for people on here to start posting "why doesnt mon go and buy us a poofter" or "why doesnt randy release the cash for a flaming bender, Carew is far too hetro we will never get champions league without 3 or 4 shirtlifters" All football fans would have to totally embraced the idea of gay footballers imagine the chants from the Holte "We are gayer than you say we are gayer than you" if the first openly gay footballer was a villa player we would have at least a couple of million more fans almost overnight, think about the merchandising, some of our older kits have not been far off being pink anyway. but seriously i would like to think i would not have a problem with gay players but if im honest i would certainly take the *****. one of my mates decided to come out of the closet a couple of years ago and we took the ***** like only your closest mates can....now i think about it he also went from being a lads lad to a cross between julian clary and dale winton within 6 months if coming out hmmm why do they do that

a footballers sexuality shouldn't matter to any fan, we as supporters pay our money to watch 22 men play football, so long as they do that do that their private lives are none of our business.

piper, those are good points well made. Jimmyg. I do make jokes about peoples sexuality. In the same way as a homosexual can make jokes about mine. I wouldn't find it offensive if a gay man took the mickey out of me for giving my missus a seeing to. Why would they find it offensive if I took the mickey out of him sodomising his boyfriend?? That is an inconsistency. I have not said homosexuality should be banned. I do disagree with it, but it is everyones personal preference. If homosexuality was so normal then we would already have openly gay footballers. The fact that we don't is because despite yars of political and media pressure, the thought of men sodomising each other doesn't sit comfortably with many people. The thought of two Villa players openly in a relationship with each other is to much to bear. I after a match a player wants to go and look after his missus, great. If after a match he wants to go and rest his gonnads on his mates chin, that is another thing entirely.