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The problem is, the 18% of supporters who wouldn't "have no problem" with a gay player at their club, let alone the 8% of supporters who would outright stop following their club if they signed a gay player, can make a hell of a lot of noise.

Enough to make any player's life hell. Enough to make sure other LGBT fans keep quiet and as hidden as possible.

Coincidentally, exhibit A from tonight's Chelsea / West ham game:

 

[Beefy]

*edit beaten

So much for moving on...

 

[Deleted member 231381]

I think the trouble with football is that most fans wouldn't consider themselves homophobic, probably aren't homophobic in any other area of their life, and would on a rational level love gay players to come forward, but... tribal ties to a team are just so strong they'll look for the most offensive, vicious thing they can possibly find to hit The Others with - if they're gay, it'll be homophobic, if a minority, racist, whatever. See: Spurs and the Jewish community. And knowing that hate could take that form if you let the information slip is a big deterrent. It's much easier to take shit for being "a fucking shite Chelsea wankstain" than being

Spoiler

"a fucking poofter Chelsea fag"

(spoilered for decency), even if both are just designed to get the maximum amount of hate in.

 

[Garjon]

Sutton, who played for Norwich, Blackburn, Chelsea and Celtic, said: "Coming out wouldn't be a problem in the workplace.

Yeah bullshit. I will never come out to my workmates because I am 100% certain it would affect not only how they see me but it would negatively affect my promotion prospects too. When one of the only two openly gay people in my work messed up a job, several of the supervisors repeatedly referred to him as "the gay" for weeks behind his back. They may have got rid of the bullying but the old nastiness is very much still there.