The events will take place from Friday the 11th to Sunday the 13th of June 2010.

More details to come but here’s a brief overview:

Supporting

‘Get yer kit on!’ footie shirt party and pub crawl out and about in Blackpool on the Friday night.

Meet up to watch the England vs USA World Cup game on the Saturday night.

Playing

GFSN national tournament on Saturday afternoon with over 150 players from all over the UK and Ireland.

Campaigning

Report on the past year’s initiatives at the AGM on the Sunday.

The GFSN was initially made aware of the intention to make the film early in 2009 and lobbied unsuccessfully for the project to include input from the LGBT community and the GFSN from the outset and we are disappointed that the lack of consultation and inclusion has helped result in the events of the last few days.

We question why The FA has decided to form its strategy now and had not acted in the months since the film was first commissioned and we have sought reassurances from The FA that it is still committed to tackling homophobia in football.

Chris Basiurski, chair of the GFSN says:

“We are very disappointed that a lack of planning seems to have derailed this project.

We would have thought that the football community would be embarrassed that a senior professional rugby player was able to come out while the world continues to say that football is not ready.

The FA and the other football authorities need to be asking themselves whether they are doing all they can and should be doing to tackle homophobia. The FA says it is committed to changing the environment in football but we think it has a long way.

We would urge The FA not to delay but to act quickly to end the uncertainty and put in place the necessary strategies to allow it to proceed with this very important campaign.”

We welcome Kick It Out’s commitment to go it alone with the film if The FA ultimately does not decide to proceed and look forward to working with them to ensure that the campaign is a success.

Press Release - 10 February 2010

Saturday night was spent in various Leeds night-spots after the draw was held in the Mission2 club. Many thanks to Mission2 and The Viaduct pub who hosted the prize-giving and provided a fantastic hot carvery buffet!

While we welcome the action that has been taken, we are disappointed that the police were unable to use “homophobia” but chose to use “indecent” as the grounds for the arrests.

We are concerned that by failing to address the issue directly, the important message this otherwise would send to the fans might be lost.

A Hampshire police spokesman stated:
“They were charged with indecent chanting at a football match using words which were essentially swearwords. They weren’t appropriate to be used at all, especially where there were children and we received a number of complaints.”

Chris Basiurski, campaigns officer for the GFSN says:
“We feel that the message here is not strong enough. Homophobia is rife in football and needs to be addressed directly. By citing “indecent” and not “homophobic” the charges fail to address our main concern, that the Tottenham Hotspurs supporters have used unacceptable homophobic abuse against an opposition player. It seems as though the football community is often scared to use the word “homophobic”

At the game, the vast majority of travelling away supporters were involved in abusive chanting to Sol Campbell, their former captain, including the now notorious “Lord of the dance”/swinging chant, although we understand that not all of the charges relate to this one chant.

The chants alluded to Mr Campbell’s mental state and his sexuality. Following the incidents, certain sections of the media and groups such as the Tottenham Hotspurs Supporters Trust refused to use the word “homophobia” to describe the abuse.

Without addressing the problem directly and clearly, we fear that such incidents will reoccur and that football will continue to be an intimidating place for gay men and women.

We are however, extremely encouraged by the response of Tottenham Hotspurs FC who have taken measures to prevent a repeat of the trouble when Portsmouth visit White Hart Lane this weekend (17/18th Jan 2009).

We understand that there will be extra policing and stewards and that the club will make various statements against discriminatory behaviour in the match day programme, on the website and through their manager.

We were very pleased to learn that individuals were already subject to indefinite bans for using the offensive chanting and that anyone caught at any future game will receive similar punishment.

We welcome their approach and would encourage them and the other professional football clubs to work with us to promote the participation of gay men and women in football, to highlight the specific problem of homophobia in football to prevent such incidents occurring again and to ensure that someone’s sexuality is not a barrier to prevent them taking part in the world of football.

For more information:
Chris Basiurski
Campaigns Officer
Gay Football Supporters Network
campaigns@gfsn.org.uk

The last time the city hosted the gathering was in 2003.  However, with the recent addition of an LGBTI-friendly football team in the region (Cardiff Dragons FC) the GFSN returns to South Wales.

Further details will be announced shortly about dates and information.  We will shortly be launching a mini-site - http://cardiff2009.gfsn.org.uk with all the info you need

So we’ve had a re-think, and we’ve decided to make the site more of a ‘blog’.  The GFSN Committee - and eventually GFSN members - will be able to post items, news and links whenever they like, about whatever they like (within reason of course!)

The GFSN Forum is still online for the time being, but until then - forgive us whilst we dedicate our spare time into making the site better.

Teams from Birmingham, Bournemouth, Brighton, Leicester, London, Edinburgh, Nottingham and Yorkshire will participate in matches played between September and May to decide the 2008/2009 league title.

There is also an expanded cup competition, involving a further 4 LGBT-friendly teams across the UK. If you are interested in participating or supporting - contact your nearest team for further details

So when I was asked by Englandfans regional members to take part along with German fans reps at the wreath laying in Berlin prior to the 19th November friendly, I asked the GFSN committee for their thoughts. 

It was agreed that a small amount of GFSN funding would be allocated for a pink triangle wreath to be laid alongside the Englandfans’ George Cross wreath at the Holocaust museum: this week in history some 70 years ago is believed to be the start of the Holocaust, when Jewish shop windows were trashed and the first lives were taken.

For the last five years or so, whenever England have played there have been fans initiatives from both sides and they are well attended. The trip to Germany was to be no different, a school visit , an England 11 v German 11, and this time the memorial visit.

The ‘game’ was arranged for the Tuesday evening and turned into two full-sided games out in the wind and the rain and several 5-a-side games in a sports centre. To my surprise, as I agreed to video the match for some of the players, I was also privileged to meet the guest of honour for the evening, legendary Man City and Germany keeper, Bert Trautmann. 

Herr Trautmann is head of the the Trautmann Foundation, the football academy in Berlin for English and other overseas children. They have kick and think and courage counts competitions, which incorporate a manifesto, some of which reads: “People booed and scorned me because of where I come from. It does not matter where you come from, what language you speak or what colour your skin is; the only thing that really counts is what kind of person you are. Raise up your hand against prejudice, racism and violence.”

As I hung up my EnglandGFSN flag pitch side, the local ref spotted the pink union flag and ran over to thank me, as his brother is also a ref and is ‘GAY’!

The following day some 80+ football fans of England and Germany and some of the local Maccabie officials and over 20 press & media assembled for the wreath laying. A tour of the memorial and museum was given and then the security placed the wreaths at the entrance of the site for all visitors to see. 

Should anyone take a trip to Berlin please pop along and take the tour its very moving and memorable.

The memorial is 100 yards from the Brandenburg Gate and was opened in 2005. Not your usual design, but rather radical and without any symbolism. There are 2711 concrete blocks of various size and an information centre built partly in an old underground bunker. How the blocks stay free from graffiti is beyond me, although I was told they are jumped on every New Year’s Eve by party goers.