"As you’re probably aware, ‘Britain’s Gay Footballers’ aired on BBC3 tonight. At first it seemed like classic gay documentary,
misconceptions-and-cliches-drinking-game material. We got the ‘1 in 10 people
are gay’ nonsense, some begrudging and dull soundbites from those in the game,
and more than a few money-shots of tears courtesy of the Fashanu family. To
balance the misery out, we also got to see the interior of a Swedish men’s
dressing-room and Anton Hysen body-popping. For good or for ill (and it was
routinely both), the programme was made by Amal Fashanu, niece of Justin, who
remains the only English player ever to have come out as gay, and who committed
suicide, as everyone knows. One of the benefits of his niece presenting the
programme was that it ensured that we weren’t covering *exactly* the same ground
as before.
"John Fashanu deservedly came across very badly..."
Amazefootyballs review
from thefcf.co.uk
Now read on...
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Amal Fashanu was on BBC Breakfast t'other day and she said she expects a premiership footballer to come out within the next 5 years.
ReplyDeleteShe didn't seem too certain about much of what she said, though.
I was surprised when she explained the amount of people unwilling to talk to her on camera about it.
I had sort of assumed that things had moved on in that respect at least.
I think re Brian Clough - he was a bit fucked up himself by the time he was managing Fashanu - from what I know about him, which is zilch basically, he seemed to drink his considerable intelligence away by that point and just lost his judgement, I think. I don't doubt he and all other managers were homophobic and always had been, but I quite liked him and was a bit sad when I read about the way he treated Fashanu. :'(
But like I say, I know fuck all basically...
Clough was certainly an alcoholic at that point, but not really fair to say his judgement had deserted him.
ReplyDeleteWas it homophobic though? Just saying he new he was gay.
ReplyDeleteYes, but Clough also barred him from training with the side. Not simply because he was gay, but because he couldn't keep up with his demands for players 'lifestyles'... of which being gay was obviously a part. Clough later said he regretted the way he'd treated him, which to be fair is more than John Fashanu did.
ReplyDeleteJust think it was something he didnt understand but tried to.
ReplyDeleteWho does the 'so you go to the hamburger store' story come from anyway
Clough himself, in his autobiography.
ReplyDeletewhich he wrote
ReplyDeleteYes. An unusual step, writing your own autobiography.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great article. I think one of the most annoying characters in the whole programme was John Fashanu's captain at the time... that stupid forced laugh he had.
ReplyDeleteGreat piece.
ReplyDelete