- 19 Mar 2006, 19:33
#461366
U.K. gay soccer team beats Parliament club
Gay.com U.K.
published Sunday, March 19, 2006
A gay football team has beaten Parliament's all party team by an astounding 7-0, as part of a friendly match organized to raise awareness of homophobia.
Stonewall FC, the world's largest and most successful gay football team, played the U.K. Parliamentary Football Club earlier this week, in a game that was refereed by ex-premiership professional Dermot Gallagher.
It marks a change for the politicians' club, which includes members of all the major parties, with players used to competing against parliamentary teams from other countries.
Despite the thrashing, Stonewall FC was polite in its response admitting that the politicians "played some good football."
"In the end the superior fitness of the younger Stonewall side made a huge difference against a depleted parliamentary side, which had a number of players missing due to a late vote in the Commons the night before," a spokesperson said today.
"It's great that the Parliamentary team agreed to accept our challenge and I think both teams enjoyed the match," said Nigel Carter, club secretary at Stonewall FC.
The MPs said they welcomed the work Stonewall FC was doing in challenging homophobia within sport.
"The issue of homophobia in football is certainly one which needs to be addressed," said Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield Attercliffe, who is the chair of the Parliamentary Football Club.
"Stonewall FC are really doing their bit to challenge those damaging stereotypes."
Stonewall FC, which is sponsored by Gay.com, was Britain's first gay football club, competing at a very high level in the Middlesex County Football League with the first team playing in the Premier Division.
The club has a substantial list of honors which includes winning both the gold and silver medals at the Gay world championship in Sydney in 2002, winning the Eurogames in 2003 in Copenhagen and domestically winning the Middlesex Federation Football League Cup in 2004.
Gay.com U.K.
published Sunday, March 19, 2006
A gay football team has beaten Parliament's all party team by an astounding 7-0, as part of a friendly match organized to raise awareness of homophobia.
Stonewall FC, the world's largest and most successful gay football team, played the U.K. Parliamentary Football Club earlier this week, in a game that was refereed by ex-premiership professional Dermot Gallagher.
It marks a change for the politicians' club, which includes members of all the major parties, with players used to competing against parliamentary teams from other countries.
Despite the thrashing, Stonewall FC was polite in its response admitting that the politicians "played some good football."
"In the end the superior fitness of the younger Stonewall side made a huge difference against a depleted parliamentary side, which had a number of players missing due to a late vote in the Commons the night before," a spokesperson said today.
"It's great that the Parliamentary team agreed to accept our challenge and I think both teams enjoyed the match," said Nigel Carter, club secretary at Stonewall FC.
The MPs said they welcomed the work Stonewall FC was doing in challenging homophobia within sport.
"The issue of homophobia in football is certainly one which needs to be addressed," said Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield Attercliffe, who is the chair of the Parliamentary Football Club.
"Stonewall FC are really doing their bit to challenge those damaging stereotypes."
Stonewall FC, which is sponsored by Gay.com, was Britain's first gay football club, competing at a very high level in the Middlesex County Football League with the first team playing in the Premier Division.
The club has a substantial list of honors which includes winning both the gold and silver medals at the Gay world championship in Sydney in 2002, winning the Eurogames in 2003 in Copenhagen and domestically winning the Middlesex Federation Football League Cup in 2004.
