English ‘football star’ set to come out as gay in coming days

The football world is preparing for an announcement from a “star player”, who says he’ll come out publicly this week — one of the first to do so.

David Stockdale, Fulham goalkeeper, wears rainbow-coloured shoe laces as part of a campaign against homophobia in football in 2013. Picture: AAP

An anonymous Twitter account has the football world on the edge of its collective seat, with its author saying he’s a professional English player who’s about to come out as gay.

The Gay Footballer profile, which appeared on the social networking site at the start of the month, has been sharing a handful of cryptic updates about a plan to become one of the few publicly out elite-level athletes in the world.

While there’s some speculation the whole thing could be a hoax or a stunt, the account has gathered some professional players among its 44,000 followers.

Some of them have tweeted messages of encouragement at the profile, whose unidentified author claims to be a professional footballer playing in the English Championships “under the age of 23”.

Marvin Sordell, who played for Burton Albion in League One and previously for the Premier League, tweeted: “Wish you nothing but good fortune with this next step in life.

“So many things will be said, but your vulnerability in this situation is such a powerful sign of your strength. I’ve got huge respect for you doing something that is monumental for our sport.”

Overnight, the Twitter account shared an apparent date for the announcement — July 24.

Few sports stars come out — the handful who have did so after retiring. Picture: AFP

Gay football fans around the world are waiting in anticipation to see who is behind the profile, in a move that could advance the cause of ending homophobia in sport.

Chris Hicks, who plays for gay club the Sydney Rangers, said he and his teammates have been talking about the account for weeks.

“We’re waiting to see what’s happening and now it looks like we’ll know in a few days one way or another,” he said.

“We’re hopeful it’s not a hoax and that the response is positive.”

Sydney Rangers is the city’s only gay men’s soccer club. Picture: AAP

An openly gay player would show just how far sport has come in embracing diversity and inclusion, Hicks said.

“It would be a real sign that players can come out and have the support of not only the crowds but their teammates too.

“For kids struggling with their identity, it would be an amazing moment for them to see that anything is possible.”

The person behind the anonymous account tweeted for the first time on July 6, saying they had just come out to family members and would soon do so publicly.

The next day, the person shared a statement saying he had met with his “manager” and his “club’s chairman” about the plan to go public.

“I was anxious prior to the meeting about the response that I would get, but as both men, and as a club, they have assured me that they will do absolutely everything to support me in this process,” the statement read.

Former Newcastle Jets player Andy Brennan came out in May. Picture: Jay Town

In another statement shared last week, the man said he held discussions again that had alleviated “any pre-existing concerns” he held about coming out.

He hoped other closeted players could “take comfort and hope” from his decision and, if they wanted to, make the same decision that he is about to play.

24.07.19 🏳️‍🌈

— The Gay Footballer (@FootballerGay) July 21, 2019

Very few professional athletes have made the decision to come out publicly, with only a handful of examples from elite levels of all sports.

Former Hyundai A-League player Andy Brennan came out in May, saying he had been tormented by keeping the secret and felt immediate relief after sharing it.

“It’s taken me years to get comfortable saying this — I’m gay,” Brennan, who played for the Newcastle Jets, said in a message on Instagram.

“I was scared it would affect my friendships, my teammates and my family but the support of the people around me has been so great and helped me to get to the final step — being completely open.

“Being open is the best way for me to feel most comfortable and be myself.”

Hear from former Hyundai A-League player Andy Brennan after he became the first Australian male professional player to reveal he’s gay.

Posted by Hyundai A-League on Wednesday, 15 May 2019

American footballer Robbie Rogers came out in 2013 when he retired from the sport at 25, after playing for Leeds United and the US team Columbus Crew.

“I’m a soccer player, I’m Christian, and I’m gay,” Rogers wrote at the time. “Those are things that people might say wouldn’t go well together. But my family raised me to be an individual and to stand up for what I believe in.”

Former LA Galaxy footballer Robbie Rogers came out in 2013.

He quickly returned to the sport in 2013 to play for Los Angeles Galaxy and retired again in 2017 due to injury.

Former World Cup player Thomas Hitzlsperger, who played in the EPL and in Germany, also came out four months after retirement in 2014.

And Collin Martin, who plays for Minnesota United, came out in June 2018.