From a smashing goal celebration to a flag bearer for Foxes Pride
VARDY’S MESSAGE TO GROUP FIGHTING HOMOPHOBIA
WHEN Jamie Vardy struck in the dying seconds at Sheffield United and celebrated by clattering the corner flag, members of Leicester City’s LGBT+ fan group Foxes Pride cheered as loudly as they normally would for a last-minute winner.
But the situation turned sour. The corner flag bore the rainbow flag, in support of Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign, and the image of Vardy smashing it to smithereens was pounced upon by those seeking to spread homophobic abuse online.
Now, City, Vardy and Foxes Pride are hoping to turn the tide on the homophobia, with the club’s number nine signing the flag and sending it to the fan group as both a memento and a show of support in ensuring football is a safe place for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
“Keep up the good work,” read Vardy’s message, with Foxes Pride working alongside City in the five years since they were established.
Chair and co-founder of the group, Graeme Smith, told the Mercury: “We saw the celebration at the weekend and we celebrated the goal and didn’t think anything of it, it was a normal everyday goal celebration.
“But then people were using the image in a homophobic way. There was some really unpleasant stuff, directed at City and the fans.
“There were people thanking Vardy for being against the Rainbow Laces campaign and using it to spread LGBT-phobic hate.
“We were speaking to the club, we shared our concerns with them, spoke about what we could do, and it was sent to us with Vardy’s signature and message.
“We’ve been around for five years now – we formed in the first place because Leicester City didn’t take part in Rainbow Laces – but since then we’ve worked in partnership with them, to support the club in the LGBT community.
“City and the players have been incredibly supportive, and it wasn’t unusual that we were spoken to about this.
“It clearly demonstrates their support for inclusion of all fans.”
While TV cameras picked up Vardy shattering the corner flag, they missed his attempts to place it back in the ground.
However, standing at half its original height, a groundsman replaced it for the final few minutes of the match.
And from there, it may have been thrown away had it not been for Getty Images photographer, and City fan, Michael Regan.
He told the Mercury: “I didn’t take the picture but as I was leaving I saw shards of plastic and the debris of the incident. And as I walked out, I passed the groundsmen’s hut. They were looking at it, and one of them asked how much it was worth.
“They couldn’t sell it, and they were only going to bin it, so I persuaded them to let me have it.
“They’d just lost so they were willing to give it to a Leicester fan as a keepsake, which was great.”
The flag initially made its way to Regan’s City-mad dad, John, who has picked up a few other mementos over the past few years, including Vardy’s shirt from the West Ham game in which he was sent off, and the City-coloured ribbons that adorned the Premier League trophy.
But after hearing of the club’s plans for the corner flag, they kindly passed it on. The hope is that Vardy’s signature will not only help change the narrative around the image, but promote visibility of LGBT+ supporters.
Smith added: “In the stadium, I don’t think it’s the issue it once was, especially at home games. But online, there’s still an awful lot of abuse, it’s very easy for people to hide.
“The image has now been viewed nearly three million times, and the response has clearly been massively positive, but there is still some negativity around it.
“Working with City to ensure fans feel safe, and promoting visibility, is really important. We’re grateful for City’s help.”