{"id":31123,"date":"2021-03-22T17:00:33","date_gmt":"2021-03-22T17:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsgazette.co.uk\/?p=31123"},"modified":"2021-03-21T19:35:03","modified_gmt":"2021-03-21T19:35:03","slug":"adapting-and-thriving-the-story-of-lgbtq-football-clubs-in-lockdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsgazette.co.uk\/adapting-and-thriving-the-story-of-lgbtq-football-clubs-in-lockdown\/","title":{"rendered":"Adapting and thriving: the story of LGBTQ+ football clubs in lockdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

Co written with Joe Kerrigan<\/a><\/p>\n

In the wake of the Covid-19 there have been few, if any, positive sporting stories to emerge.<\/p>\n

However, there are some clubs that, despite having no supporters in attendance, no in-person social events and no members able to come together for a kick-about, are set to come out of this pandemic stronger than ever.<\/p>\n

As many a clich\u00e9d advert has sought to remind us, on the pitch, nothing but the name and number on the back of the shirt matters.<\/p>\n

Or at least that should be the case. For the most part, however, especially in the world of football, the culture of the game is still exceedingly masculine, a heterosexual melting pot of testosterone and \u2018lad\u2019 culture.<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to play five-aside at work, but it was very macho and really competitive,\u201d said Eddie Wong, one of the original players, and current board member, of the Dublin Devils, \u201cbut then I saw an ad from someone saying he wanted to get some gay guys together for a gay-friendly kick-about, and thankfully nobody cared how shite I was!\u201d<\/p>\n

It is unsurprising therefore that as more and more men have felt comfortable in their sexuality, they have sought to create safer, more accepting spaces for others to enjoy the beautiful game.<\/p>\n

And thus, around the world such teams have sprung up over time, from more social and casual teams like the New York Ramblers and the Dublin Devils, to the more professional outfits like Stonewall FC in London, all providing both a safe space for a kick-about and a highly competitive league system on top of vibrant social events.<\/p>\n

But like all sports clubs, the Covid-19 pandemic brought an abrupt halt to nearly all aspects of their workings, forcing them to adapt, and fast. However, unlike many clubs who have struggled significantly over the past 12 months, for LGBTQ+ teams, the pandemic might have brought the curtain down on many of their plans, but in other aspects, they are growing and developing faster than ever.<\/p>\n

Keeping the lights on<\/u><\/h2>\n

From the Premier League down, every football club has taken a financial hit during this pandemic<\/p>\n

The lack of fans flocking to grounds bringing in a constant reliable source of income was never going to be easy to deal with.<\/p>\n

With fans and members still sofa-bound, earnings for many of the smaller clubs have almost dried up and might have done completely if not for their sponsors.<\/p>\n

One such club were the New York Ramblers.<\/p>\n

Founded in 1980, the Ramblers can boast to be the world\u2019s first organised, openly gay football club, and according to its current present Matthew Wickersham it\u2019s this longevity that has done so much to keep them going during the pandemic:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been in New York so long that we\u2019ve managed to get pretty consistent sponsors that we\u2019re always able to reach out too, but we\u2019re so fortunate because I know so many clubs who just don\u2019t have that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Indeed, the Ramblers are without question at the more fortunate end of the financial spectrum, with the club last year partnering with the New York Red Bulls and being gifted a $10,000 donation.<\/p>\n

Yet over 3,000 miles away across the pond, teams such as the Dublin Devils were nearly not so lucky.<\/p>\n

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The Dublin Devils 11-aside team, the more competitive end of the club- Credit: The Dublin Devils<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe really rely on our sponsorship from the George Bar, an iconic gay bar in the heart of Dublin, and the worry was that this money would just stop,\u201d remarked Wong.<\/p>\n

Indeed, it is hardly surprising the club entertained such fears, with the hospitality sector taking one of the biggest hits from the pandemic.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut there was light at the end of the tunnel as we managed to secure sponsorship with insurance companies Irish Life and Canada Life for the next three years, so we\u2019ve now got this safety net in place along with now being able to bring in coaches to train the players along with things like new kits,\u201d commented Wong.<\/p>\n

This idea of LGBTQ clubs establishing something of a safety net during the pandemic can be perhaps best be shown through the development of East London based side Stonewall FC.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the club has thrived, in so much as a club can without playing football,\u201d stated first team manager Eric Najib, \u201cwe now have a great partnership with Adidas, who we have felt the support of, even through lockdown, with the new kit and all the publicity.\u201d<\/p>\n

This deal with Adidas is significant for many reasons, not least because it\u2019s the first time the sportswear giant has sponsored a team in non-league before.<\/p>\n

By having that partnership Stonewall FC have ensured that, when things start to get back to normal, they will be in a far stronger position than when they entered it in the first place.<\/p>\n

But just like with the Ramblers and the Devils, such financial security is so vital, not just because of what it means for the team on the pitch.<\/p>\n

More than a place to kick a ball around<\/u><\/h2>\n

The point of these unique clubs was never to become money making machines, or \u2018brands\u2019 but to provide something more.<\/p>\n

The clubs were born out of a desire for those who felt like they didn\u2019t fit in or felt un-welcome at more conventional football clubs to come together and meet people just like them.<\/p>\n

Indeed, for the Dublin Devils\u2019 Eddie Wong, the importance of the social side of the club cannot be understated: \u201cFor many people, the main reason for joining the club was to make friends and meet others in the LGBTQ community.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, before I joined I didn\u2019t have any gay friends, so it was a big step for me, and I know a few players at the club who were only \u2018out\u2019 to a few people so it\u2019s amazing to see them make really good friends in the club.\u201d<\/p>\n

Indeed, it\u2019s a similar story with the Ramblers, as Wickersham remarked: \u201cSome people just joined for the social side and don\u2019t even like soccer!\u201d<\/p>\n

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For The New York Ramblers, the social side of the club is an integral part of what they do, be that on Zoom or not!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In light of this, successive lockdowns have forced the clubs to adapt in order to keep that social lifeline going.<\/p>\n

Naturally, Zoom has become an invaluable asset for many during these isolated times, and things are no different for the Devils.<\/p>\n

\u201cRecently we\u2019ve been having Zoom chats and drinks, and even got a group of us playing the [popular mobile] game Among Us! We just felt like we needed to do something to keep people going, even though Zoom might not be everyone\u2019s cup of tea.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about just keeping that communal spirit together,\u201d commented Wong.<\/p>\n

Whilst such things might seem trivial to outsiders, it’s small activities and gestures like this which underpin the importance of these clubs for so many people, the importance of that \u2018communal spirit\u2019, even at the cost of some Zoom fatigue.<\/p>\n

Life after Covid<\/u><\/h2>\n

Whilst the Covid pandemic will soon be consigned to history thanks to the global vaccine effort, the same cannot be said for homophobia in football.<\/p>\n

Clubs such as Stonewall FC, the New York Ramblers and the Dublin Devils were all formed because their founders didn\u2019t feel welcome or accepted in the footballing community.<\/p>\n

Indeed, as Stonewall FC\u2019s Eric Najib remarked, there is still a long way to go: \u201cFootball fans in the stands have changed massively in the last 20 years but to say it’s fine would be wrong. There is still so much more that needs to happen in terms of behaviour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>