It would have been Justin Fashanu’s 60th birthday this year (2021). Fashanu, the first British elite footballer (can still see that goal of the year for Norwich against Liverpool) to come out as gay, in 1990, took his own life, seven years later. I interviewed him just after he came out in a lengthy interview for ‘The Voice’ newspaper. I believe it was the first interview he voluntarily gave after he’d been essentially outed by ‘The Sun’ newspaper. The interview partly came about to remedy some initially hostile coverage from my ‘paper ( a black newspaper), including, I recall, some not very positive comments from his brother John (also a well-known footballer then), and our columnist at the time, Tony Sewell – now best known for helming this year’s controversial ‘Sewell report’ on Race for the UK government. The whole drama that ensued concerning our coverage was a bit of a moment for homophobia and the UK black ‘community’ and is discussed, inter alia, in this March piece by ‘The Athletic’ magazine:
When I’ve time to do a rummage, I’ll find and upload that interview, along with some further thoughts/ memories. I do remember we spoke over dinner at some fancy restaurant in Gerrards Cross, just outside, London (we paid!) with all the while a rather young -looking dude, in build and dress not dissimilar, actually, to ‘The Guardian’ columnist Owen Jones?, whom I assumed was Justin’s boyfriend, sat quietly observing and smiling at an adjoining table. Rest In Power, Justin. I’m so sorry that you did not perhaps receive all the support you needed x