I’d tell gay players to trust their gut – you don’t have to come out like me, says pro footballer Zander Murray
HE made headlines across the world when six months ago when he became Scotland’s only openly gay professional footballer.
And now Zander Murray is preparing to make another major impact in the game – by calling on fans to halt homophobic abuse.
Zander, 31, has been subjected to sick taunts from football fans since he came out last September and has since filmed a BBC One documentary, out today, highlighting the issues with homophobia in football across the UK.
Zander is not alone in his fight against homophobic bullies but he reveals that the pressure needs to be put on football teams and associations as a whole to force a change – rather than on gay professional athletes.
In an exclusive interview, Zander says: “I am in an LGBT tight nit community and the outing of players is so frowned upon.
“Whether I know out players or not, I cannot talk about it because they may be struggling.
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“Speculation online too about who may or not be gay can be really upsetting for them.
“Going public is their decision but they should try and be happy. To try and live as their authentic selves.
“My advice to any player who was in my position is to work on yourself, trust your gut and begin that journey.
“If there is a player who is out to their teammates but not the public – that is fair play to them. You don’t have to come out.”
Zander has come out fighting.
After teaming up with the BBC for a documentary called Disclosure: Out On The Pitch, the Scottish League Two striker, says he wants to highlight homophobia in football in a bid to show supporters the impact their words can have.
He says: “There was an incident this year which we have included in the documentary.
“We got footage of fans singing a homophobic chant.
“There is no doubt we are moving in the right direction and changes are being made but holy f*** there is so much work that needs doing.
“I have put up with a lot of comments as an out footballer and there are incidents which have been on the borderline and I think, ‘I will let you get away with that,’ but it still happens.
“I do get abuse from fans – and it’s not just me, there is an out gay referee it has happened to as well.”
He adds: “I have had no negativity from players or backroom staff. It is the fans. This is what we need to continue to work with.
“We need more allies.
The old boys shout things and they don’t understand, they don’t think about the impact their comments could be having on someone in the stands who is struggling with their sexuality.
“It is something I have no doubt I will be pushing for until the day I die but let’s be honest
“It is straight males, the majority are homophobic – they think gay men like to wear pink and are effeminate.
“Yes, gay men we do like that but you can’t put us in a box
“There are normal gay lads who like football and these are the issues that are affecting him now.”
Zander’s decision to come out on 16th September was celebrated in the UK – not only in football but by a number of big names.
Zander says: “Rylan Clark, Matt Lucas, Tom Daley – they all messaged me.
“Matt Lucas wore my top on his Sky Sports show – he requested it from my old club, it had “Murray 9” printed on it.
“Tom’s message blew me away, it was so heartfelt. John Barrowman and Jill Scott all sent me messages of support too.
“I was blown away by the number of people who wrote to me and messaged me.
“I’ve had thousands now and it means so much that I have been able to have an impact.
“The strip from his previous club Gala Fairydean Rovers is going to be put in The Scottish Football Museum at Hampden Park and it will be seen by so many young school kids,
“If there is a young person who loves football and is not out I really hope it can help them realise there is someone like them.”
Zander kept his sexuality a secret from his friends and family until the year before he went public.
In Disclosure, Zander says he looks back at the mental health issues he suffered from keeping it a secret for so long and implored other young men and women to seek help and counselling rather than keeping it buried.
Zander says: “I knew I was gay at around the age of 13 and being in football academies at the time, it was incredibly isolating.
“All my friends were in the academies and you know what boys are like at that age, it was the Nuts and Zoo era.
“When I realised it was because I was gay I felt this sense of impending doom. The way it was back then, only John Fashanu was out then, and look how that ended up.”
Zander adds: “I was living a double life all the time.
“There was even a period of time in my life where I tried to convince myself I was straight.
“I want my documentary to help people who are struggling this their sexuality but also the people who may have a certain opinion of the gay community.
“I want them to see I am just a normal man who wants to live a normal life, play football and be gay.”
For Zander, making a positive change has become a side project alongside his professional career.
As well as playing for his club, he works with a number of youth academies and LGBT groups in Scotland to try and help young people.
Alongside Blackpool FC youth player Jake Daniels, Zander says he believes change is coming – even if it is slow.
He says: “There are more people calling out homophobia now.
“It has started to shift. I heard people putting a stop to it a few times when I was in the closet and it helped me realise attitudes were shifting.
“It’s not been direct homophobia but people in the dressing room or the pub have used a homophobic term and it has been called out – people say, ‘What are you saying that for?’
“There will be a small minority who will always cause harm but I think there has been a change.
“I want this documentary to affect a change in the football fan sat in his arm chair with a can of lager. I want him to look at it differently.”
Zander’s documentary “Out On The Pitch” is available on BBC iPlayer from today.