Unnamed Premier League footballer reveals he is gay in letter but says he can't go public

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The star criticises football's authorities and says the game needs to change radically before he would feel safe opening up.

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The unknown star is being supported by the Justin Fashanu Foundation, which is run by the former footballer's niece, Amal.

Justin Fashanu played for Notts County and West Ham, but tragically took his own life after being accused of sexual assault in 1998. "If I was to make that step I'd want to know that I would be supported at each step of my journey. Right now, I don't feel I would be." I wasn't interested in doing well at school. Instead of doing homework, every spare minute I had was spent with a ball.

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If he comes clean he won’t be able to shower with the lads anymore which he will miss, so hedging his bets 😜😅

I'm not judging him,it's his decision but if he is waiting for people to change their mentality on this then it's unfortunate that he won't be able to come out in the coming years. Cause for that mentality change to happen it's going to take a long time.

Oh FFS

Better to stay that way

Firmino

Imagine being the first openly gay premier player. It would be a licence to print money. Loads of advertising deals and new sponsors

Statistically, each PL squad is likely to contain at least 2 or 3 gay players. So people should stop making stupid comments about which opposition player they think this might be. Some of the players you cheer on and support are gay. Deal with it.

All in good time sterling7, all in good time; we still love you!

This is defo firmino

Who cares. Get on with it chap.

Or no one wrote the letter and its a publicity stunt!! I'm pretty sure, no one gives a toss either way and if true, the only advice this ROLE MODEL has portrayed, is to be afraid and not come out. Not sure thats helpful ...

So fuckin what ,why don’t you report on something serious like the invasion on the country formerly known as Great Britain’s fuckin channel !

Doing the complete opposite of the intended purpose with articles like this

Amazed that football is so backward still. Players in Rugby League have come out and the vast majority of right-minded people have been supportive of that. How toxic must football be?

Shola Ameobi kept his secret for years!!!

Why is this still classed as “News”. Who cares!!!! Let him be

I don’t care.

Got to be Greasey......

He has no real reason to do his coming out given the high rate of morons in the football environment. Much has been written about that isn't it ? He'd better take advantage of their filthy stupidity and take the check at the end of the game. 🤑 

Then why mention anything at all? Keep shut and hope he is good enough to earn 'loads of money'.

1/2 Until an active footballer comes out publicly nothing will change, this footballer could be a beacon and would show the majority of fans would be on side or indifferent to it. Their sexuality doesn't effect their ability to play football.

So your point is

The contract of that guy should be terminated if he is ever found.

Can't be an English player. He can write.

'just to let you all know i sleep with the same sex' Ahhh right thats nice for you... And what? Enjoy your life 🤷🏼‍♂️🤷🏼‍♂️

I'd be more interested if a Premier league footballer came out and said, we payed to much, our shirts are over priced, tickets too and I don't support blm

Sad times...

How sad some people are. This guy is being tormented just because you think he's different. Wrong, you're the different one. Live and let live I say. Who are you to judge others. Are you THAT perfect? Get over yourselves.

We should diagnose him with straight

Old news🤔

Pukki party?😂

2020....and people still having to hide their sexuality, so sad 😭 hoping its a future star of the game who might just be able to make a bigger difference changing opinions 🤞🏼

GNev2 Who’s told sky in the first place

Thats it let the rest of us get the abuse whilst you protect your career in the closet

Can’t think of any unnamed premier league footballers 🤔

No one cares

Coward

Tell him nobody’s arsed

No he can’t come out, but you lot won’t rest until you do it for him! Trash!!

pizzacake13 HamezReddin

Who cares as long as he's not a Schofe ?

Absolutely no one is bothered.

richard15997428

Good for you Nathaniel Clyne. Good for you

Why is he afraid to come out? Why mention it at all then? Perhaps his agent is organising the book and media tour first.

Anyone interested in his sexuality?

So, a non story.

Cantwell is now in EFL 🙅🏻‍♂️

Slow news day.? Yawn

Sky News on their agenda again after few months off

No one cares if players are gay

I'd imagine alot of 'fans' who chant out anything that is homophobic at games are likely one themselves because it covers their own insecurity being one.

Rahim Sterling

2020 it's bizarre and disturbing to think people can't discuss opening their sexuality because of a job.

He may aswell come out while there no fans in stadiums once the headline has blown over nobody will care in a few weeks and he'll be seen as a pioneer.

Is it PhilJones4 because everytime he plays footy, he always has his pants pulled down by players. Awful defender.

People shouldnt need to 'come out'. Live and let live.

Deffo sterling, you dont run like that for no reason

ReeceBoast And this is news!!!

who cares if a footballer is gay, it’s 2020. nobody should care or complain.

And? 🤷🏼‍♀️

So what !!!

Unnamed and can't go public reveals nothing, about nothing this is not news and what a waste of a tweet

Typical British responses 🙄

GNev2 Shame

Wow! What an incredible story! Not! 🥱🥱🥱

No one cares. Love is love. Dig deep & be brave

Maddison I bet

I for 1 wouldnt care and would happily treat you the same as I do every other player who has a bad game 'I'm better than him, hows he a footballer' unfortunately we all know what would be coming from a minority of idiots after the first mistake🙄

Is that that Chelsea lad

Really don’t get why the media are desperate for a player to come out as gay. If they want to, let them. If they don’t, then they don’t have to. I personally don’t understand why they should have to say if they are gay or straight.

Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell.

In this day and age who the Feck cares

Quiet news day

I think I know who but will wait till he has the guts to tell 🤔🤔

GFLM

Can’t or won’t?

GNev2 Who bloody cares I am not sure why they feel any need to say I’m fat or I’m straight i for one don’t care I would support them if One of my teams players irrespective. I have no interest other than them scoring with the ball ! How they live is up to them not meand not me to judge

Another report from Sky that isolates and points the finger at a group

Who would write a letter, it will be leaked in two weeks max

Why is this even news?

Does it really matter who it is... Why is this such a headline for you

Paul Pogba

They'll be more than one without a doubt. I heard of a 2 players a couple years ago. Both were Premier league players at the time. One still is (out of contract) the other isn't.

Sidneykidney4 Why is this a news headline ? Grow up

I don't fuck with that gay shit

Nobody cares

It’s wrong that anyone should be made to feel this way, please do it I am sure worldwide you will be supported, ok there are always some idiots but you mustn’t let them stop you otherwise these morons have won. Be proud of what you are mate

We know him already

Personally don't care about his sexuality ,if there are kids and a wife involved he needs to go public the gutter tabloids will find out and print his story regardless

football is a sport that demands resilience not rainbow snowflakes .

GNev2 Bet he’s from Norwich 😂

Goes balls deep but won’t go public

Fully understand why he feels he cant.. wish he would... it would be a great for not only himself but many others and the whole sport.. for me.. gay or not.. it wont stop me cheering him on.. unless he scores against spurs that is..🤭.

gaylivesmatter

That's why he hasnt scored all year at Anfield

ReeceBoast Nobody cares

Then how did know? And it’s now public 🤣🤣

Shame. Who cares

So fuck

It is depressing that in 2020 there’s a need to be anonymous about your sexuality.

GNev2 Dont be such a queen about it m8. Nobody cares lad! Let your football do the talking.

Bollocks he can’t go public

Disturbing honestly. Anyone should be able to come out consequence free unless they choose not to.

your private like is exactly that 'private'! some dont like others being gay,bi,trans, black,white,ect ect ect, just fucking get on with life before it comes to an end!!! onelove🙌

Every few months these stories come out. 🙄

Male football fans can't even accept women playing I can't imagine them supporting gay players. They have the mindset of people from 1930's. Toxic

Considering Justin Fashanu was the first £1m black player and didn’t get a chance for Forest after Clough found out he was gay says it all. Hope he comes out in public and has the support of his fellow footballers. It’s 2020

If anybody believes that football fans wouldn't give them hell if they came out, they should try sitting at any Brighton match and listening to opposition fans. Its disgusting to hear.

Love is love. We have bigger issues in the world to bother with than someone’s sexuality

No one cares. End off. Just play football

I feel for this guy. Homophobia in sports in general is disgusting. Love is love. Between two guys, two girls, two fucking potatoes who gives a shit. As long as the player shows up, trains and plays who are we to judge who they have relationships with?

Who gives a fuck unless he black

Can't blame him. 2020 and the sport still struggles with racism. Imagine the homophobia.

Robert

I hope they can gain confidence in themselves and come out but there is no point in reporting this. He'll say it when he is ready. If they decide to come out I will support them even if they play for a rival because it is above football and without support coming out is hard.

Nobody cares. Fuck sake 🙄

andrewrobertso5

Gay lives matter...

It’s sad that whoever it is feels the need to be secret about it, it’s 2020, no one should feel that way. I hope whoever it is can come out without feeling any sort of pressure 🙏

The fact is there would a very small minority who would try to use it as a weapon at games. A footballer is paid to play football, what they do romantically off the pitch is no one's concern. They should come out and be proud to do so

Why is this news? Why is his sexuality a thing? It isn't. Tell people/don't tell people it's entirely your business my darling and I'm so sorry the shitty world we live in has made you feel burdened and frightened about it. You're a normal human being. Have a fabulous life 😘

Footballer can write a letter? Maybe he wanted to say 'Pay'...

Fucks given 👌

Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo.... think they're more than just international team mates 😂🤔

Gay/straight couldn’t give a fuck as long as your are a good person I would welcome you in my home and life.i also believe you are doing the right thing the media would love this sort of story and they would not leave it alone ever.

Come out instead of making a bigger deal than it is, no 1 is arsed its 2020

Does his sexuality matter? Not tryna be homophobic just curious rofl

So it’s footballs fault he can’t come out as gay. Give me a break. No one would give a Fuk.

Just hope the scum don't get wind of this and expose them like they did to Gareth Thomas, the rugby player dontbuythesun

Defo

Ronaldo defo is, any 1 who csn have kids but pays for a surrigate is a bit fu$&÷$ up in the head or gay

Who is arsed its 2020 just say it, no 1 gives a f£££ being secretive just makes it worse

Sooo sad 💔

We don’t need to know if someone is gay, the same way that it’s not a new story if someone is straight. Stop making this news. Let people live their life without you utter pieces of shit making it harder for them.

Why bother write a letter then.🤷🏼‍♂️

no one cares - find something more newsworthy to write about

Firmino

The time is now fella best of luck

Chlo_dowdy _PabloGuy_

GNev2 Definitely Antonio! Bagged 4 boys today

No one cares. Unless he’s Muslim then it could be a big problem

Who fucking cares nobody’s business. There’s plenty about it’s more about who’s got the balls to come out first. It’s life.

Firmino ?

Fairly certain I know who... fairly certain no one apart from the media gives a shit.

Who the fuck cares

Pointless story!! I know who Santa claus is but I cant tell ya!🥴🥴🥴🥴🥴

If ever there was a time to go public, this it By not, this will then point the finger at a present day Grahame Le Saux, whether gay or not

Phil Bardsley

Who cares !!!!!! £75 / month for this shit !

Drives me insane the need for celebrities or footballers to come out to the media. Im gay I’d advise coming out to your family, friends and colleagues. Fuck announcing who you wanna date to the papers. Like a straight guy announcing he fancies blondes to media. Not their business

GuppyHeer Pressdeej gotta be greenwood 🤔🤣

Some of the replies to the tweet show why it's difficult.

Shut up then!

Mad how its 2020 and this is still a problem.

The people would be fine in most cases, except for the odd arsehole. The press would be the ones looking for blood. They’d be hanging around his house and you’d find so many articles on the poor guy.

Who cares , why does he think we all need or want to know? Just play football

Got to be Sigurdsson

Clyne

MOVIESTVMAD No one cares, he’ll get insults if he scores against someone’s club like any player would, he’ll have so much support behind him.

Makes no sense whatsoever, I don't know 1 person that would give a toss what sexuality someone is, if anything they'll receive a lot of support, and rightly so

NathanCarrr_ I hate how sexuality has become such a huge thing, the fact someone has to hide who they are at the fear his career may be jeopardised frustrates me

Who gives ........... a fcuk

So what’s the point? Your stories get more rubbish by the hour!!

I know a premier league footballer who’s heterosexual. He doesn’t talk about it though. I’ve told him, he needs to embrace his sexuality and broadcast it to the world. But he’s afraid of what people may say. Tragic, really, in this day and age.

Whilst the majority of people will support him, it will be a small minority who will use it as verbal abuse on match days to try and put him off and sadly it will have a profound effect on the individual on/off the field. Saw it in AFL with Adam Goodes and racism.

its fucking 2020 who cares

who cares?

Same story different year!!

Adam_Moody4 Would like to think if a blades player was to come out our fans would give full support to him and challenge anyone making comments.

It’s all about the media wanting a story, they love to exaggerate....the majority of football don’t care if someone is gay these days. The people are fed up of media games playing people against people. Fuck off

Bentner?

Ozil?

Why can’t he go public.....he is a human being and just because he is a premier league footballer should not have an impact on how he feels..... comeout befreeatlast helpothers

No one cares

Do why is he telling sky news lol

What exactly does it have to do with anyone? It’s nothing to be ashamed of but the media will make big news of it. Leave people alone.

GNev2 It’s Virgil Van Dijk. Absolutely loves the cock. Lives for it.

Good luck to the lad

The most pointless tweet evrr

I've got a reliable source that says its Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Ilbumaman

GNev2 Always thought Ross Mc Cormack (not prem I know) and Raheem Stirling purely because of the way he runs. whocares

dansmith66290

Credible sources tell its Harry Kane.

It's salah, got to be

Why is this news?

GNev2 Wasn’t there a premiership footballer a little while ago that was going to announce they were gay? They had a twitter account as well. Wonder if it is the same guy

Bet he plays for brighton

Ferminio

Sad.

He should go public. It won't be that bad and future generations will think of him as a hero.

Typical Sky

This is crazy. Football is ABSOLUTELY ready for a player to come out! It’s been ready for ages. I’m always amazed that amongst these confident, rich, powerful footballers: how has pretty much nobody done it already? They’d be a hero! It’s not 1980 now. We HAVE move on!

Who cares about how he uses his backside so long as he performs?

Just get it out there and be the 1 who breaks the mould

GNev2 Wonder if it’s starling he’s deffo gay yes he has kids and that but so do many people who turned out gay

Some of the comments here make me ashamed to be a football fan and are the exact reason the poor lad doesn’t feel he can come out.

Must be Giroud😷

Not revealed then is it.

Liverpool player, we know him and it’s no big deal...... 2020 not the 13th century people should be whoever they want to be

I hope he finds the love and support he needs to live a happy fulfilling life. Football needs to get over itself and support players better. I mean the players and the fans!

Good for him - he'll come out when he's ready.

boring!

GNev2 Does anyone but a very small minority of bigots actually care these days?

I can assure you I would not feel one jot different about you if you were gay , straight or bi! You're a footballer and admired for your skill. The stress of keeping it hidden is massive. You'd prob be surprised at the outpouring of support and the relief you would feel if out

😢 it’s 2020

Do we care,it’s not our business,just Sky trying for a big splash

I would love whoever it is to come out and start the normalising of this, but can admit that this would be extremely difficult

It’s sad he has to hide it. After reading some of the comments on this thread, I can see why 😢

Don’t think the sport or the fans would have a problem. But the media would have a field day trying to whip up a non-existent hysteria. Make it a non-story, as it should be.

So what, let someone be gay, what does it matter. A players sexuality doesn't affect how they play, therefore it is nobodies business

Bet he loves getting on a knee.

GNev2 Ffs of course this matters. It’s frightening that in 21st Century England a young man is terrified of people knowing his sexuality as he fears torrents of abuse and tormenting. Grow some balls and offer support to this young man.

GNev2 Tyrone Mings at a guess

Do not compare players from rugby, cricket, basketball with fooball players, football fans take no prisoners.

GNev2 All strength to him ✊

GNev2 PUFF!!!

The game is ready and not coming out is stopping other players doing the same! No one who is educated cares! Any comment in stadiums will get the person banned for life etc

Thats so sad 😞

His choice

Wasn’t there something like this last summer?

Phil Bardsley

GNev2 The authorities don't care about the players at all. All they are interested in is money.

Yawn 🥱

GNev2 Dont need them kind in the prem

2020 and the f*cking state of the comments shameful

Clearly Raheem Sterling, jacket potato arse .

GNev2 Cue hundreds of fuckwits trying to guess who it is.

Who cares?

That’s the most Pointless News Report I’ve ever heard. Great Reporting 😴😂

It's a shame there are still people in this world that have this inane idea that someones sexuality is wrong It's also sad they don't feel they can be themselves - it may also help others who are struggling

“Unnamed” and “revealed” in the same sentence is a joke! If he revealed, why is he unnamed? It means he didn’t reveal

Is this supposed to be headlines, the sad fact is he cant come out

GayFootballersLivesMatter

Yawn 🥱

Coward

Get his Husband make a Statement then

Couldn't care less. Even if he plays for the Villa.

Wtf😂

In a world where pro footballers are never short of women it’s not hard for his mates to work out who it is. Either way how sad that he’s not confident of the reaction if he comes out

So the witch hunt begins Sly News🤷🏻‍♂️

💔

Shouldn’t even be news.

💔💔💔 which journalist is trying to force a person to reveal his private life? Whoever it is, I do hope they understand no one is really interested 💕

Click bait

Why was a letter written? Does whoever it is need to explain themselves to the league?

Sky news is becoming more like a tabloid these days rather than a quality news channel

So

tricky one that for a team sportsman, society on the whole dont care, but i bet hes thinking more about his team mates and how they might feel uncomfortable with him in the shower room. Im sure you dont need that sort of pressure while working through issues with your sexuality

Why does MSM need to report this, who cares.

I know how difficult it is to come out as gay and I can only hope that things improve for him and that the FA listen to this person and do everything in their power to help him and others.

Who gives a dam

I personally don’t have any issue with anyone being who they want to be, good luck to them, but why right a letter saying I’m not going public because all your doing is bringing unwanted attention to now the media who will try & find out & make life a misery if the find 🤷🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️

It won't happen in my lifetime but I think the world will be a much better place when this isn't a story, when a person's sexuality does not matter, when we as a society just accept people for who they are. Whoever this player is, I admire you for taking this step.

Why? It’s bullshit to say this country is homophobic.

Maybe Each to their own I guess what ever floats your boat if he’s happy then so be let him be happy

Who gives a flying fck !!!

What's the point in this 'news'

Good gosh, I'm tickled pink 🤣

Poor bastard, 2020 and is afraid to go public on his sexuality. Has to be a West Ham player, my money is on Declan Rice.

My response to this non story is,,,,,,,,,,, and ?

Harry Kane.

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