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Leeds speak out on ‘disgusting’ chant at Crystal Palace’s Conor Gallagher

Leeds speak out on the ‘disgusting’ chant aimed at Crystal Palace’s Conor Gallagher during their rainbow laces game to promote equality.

The West Yorkshire outfit have condemned “Chelsea Rentboy” chants aimed at Conor Gallagher during their rainbow laces game to promote equality.

Gallagher, the Crystal Palace midfielder on loan from Chelsea, was abused in the first half while he walked to take a corner on the side of the pitch where the club’s LGBT+ group , Marching Out Together, had a banner.

The group add that more work needs to happen with the chant “unarguably homophobic”. They highlighted the steps the club took to promote the rainbow laces game, with players wearing T-shirts in the warm-up, Liam Cooper’s captain’s armband having the Pride colours and a social media campaign.

“Overall the support from Leeds United supporters at last night’s game with Crystal Palace was magnificent, once again the fans got behind the team and played a huge part in pushing the players on to get the late winner,” said a Leeds spokesperson.

“However, we are aware of a homophobic chant directed at a Crystal Palace player and we want to be very clear that this is unacceptable.

“We will continue to work closely with Marching Out Together and all of our supporter groups to ensure that we do everything within our power to eradicate homophobia and any other form of discrimination from our football club.”

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Marching Out Together issued a statement, adding: “The work we do with the club receives the support from the overwhelming majority of Leeds fans, who welcome inclusion and support for the LGBT+ community.

“However, work still needs to be done, and unacceptable chanting can still occasionally be heard. The rent boy chant last night is one example of that. It is unarguably homophobic and unacceptable at all times. We wrote a piece condemning the use of the rent boy chant and explaining why it is homophobic last year.

“It was certainly regrettable to hear last night – but the club’s ongoing powerful message of support for equality resonated much stronger on a night where we could celebrate that things are changing for the better in the game of football, when it comes to LGBT+ inclusion.”

Leeds’ Luke Ayling, speaking before the encounter, said on the club’s Twitter account: “It is just a powerful messsage that no matter your sexuality or race, if you want to come and watch football, feel comfortable doing it and don’t change who you are when you do it.”

Four months ago, Liverpool spoke out on the disgusting chant which was sang from the away end at Norwich’s Billy Gilmour.

The young Scotland international is currently on loan with the Canaries from Chelsea and made his competitive debut for the club in the highly anticipated game at Carrow Road.

However, the 20-year-old was claimed to have been targeted by some fans due to his association with his parent club, leaving many reeling.

Liverpool’s LGBT+ fans association ‘Kop Outs!’ highlighted the purported abuse on social media with a tweet that read: “Great result today marred by homophobic chanting by some of our fans targeting Chelsea loanee Billy Gilmour. If you can’t support without resorting to bigoted nonsense, you don’t understand YNWA.”

This was then quickly followed by a statement on Twitter from Liverpool’s official feed, which read: “The chant is offensive and inappropriate – a message we have repeatedly communicated alongside Kop Outs. We urge supporters to remember the inclusive values of the club and to refrain from using it in the future.”

The Kop Outs! group also highlighted a tweet which was posted back in 2019 from anti-discrimination group Kick It Out, and it had hit out at a number of reports of homophobic chants towards Chelsea players during a match two years ago.

Kick It Out referenced a “rent boy” chant, which the organisation says has been directed at Chelsea players for a number of years.

Liverpool Supporters Union, Spirit of Shankly, tweeted: “Solidarity with our LGBT+ supporters & affiliates!” after the news was published for all to see on social media.

Social media users gave their reaction as Leeds speak out on the ‘disgusting’ chant at Crystal Palace’s Conor Gallagher…

@Josh_T95: Heard it loud and clear, luckily just the once for a few seconds, so good on whoever was policing that to nip it in the bud. There’s never a good time for it, but on a Rainbow Laces game it’s particularly disgraceful and daft.

@cmcmenamy95: Was a tiny section behind me in cheese wedge singing it. They thought they were hilarious, about as funny as a funeral. Were told to shut up twice but persisted.

@joe_gresty: I heard this briefly start up in the south stand and seemed to quickly be drowned out or stopped. Was fairly audible tho.

@Samtonked76: Tiresome and predictable. Need to knock the Jimmy Saville chant on the head too.

@jimmy_L_UFC: If someone did that they should be banned for life , and can’t see Connor Gallagher is one hell of a player if if he did have an off night he’s good lad took that challenge well after Kalvin went through him perfectly yeah milked the throat shot but he knew it .

@ChrisLUFC1981: This is why the rainbow laces, anti-racism etc. messages need to continue. Change is painfully slow, some people just can’t accept that their “hilarious” chants are no longer acceptable.
If cutting a song out of your repertoire spoils your day at the football that says a lot.

@JayBlufc: Im not condemning it in anyway as it’s bang out of order… but I feel the chanting certainly from the south stand regulated itself very quickly. It certainly wasn’t all of the stand. Felt like a minority. The world is slowly heading in the right direction.

@cpfcboiling: Ones who were singing it had a ‘marching out together’ pride flag right next to them 😂

@MattDebonoSI: Irony of this is that Leeds wanted to sign Conor Gallagher in the summer.

@albarniana: during the rainbow laces campaign and all!

@kade_bladeSE25: That’s Leeds fans for you…

@JoelGray_: Bet he’s glad he didn’t join them

@Leedsmot1963: Thank you @LiamCooper__ for your support and for the support of all your team mates wearing the warm up shirts. They are powerful messages and make a real difference. #ALAW @LUFC

@EfcSl: Brushed under the carpet FC did it to Gilmour v Norwich and then when the play Chelsea. But that was quickly fucking forgotten

@TheScore01: Disgraceful. Take care Conor Gallagher, stay strong, we’re all behind you.

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