Joey Barton: We must accept openly gay footie stars

Anguish ... John Fashanu comforts sobbing Amal

Barton is among contributors to a TV investigation by Amal Fashanu, whose footballer uncle Justin "came out" as gay in a candid interview with The Sun in October 1990.

Model Amal — whose dad John disowned Justin for revealing his sexuality — has become a campaigner against homophobia in football in memory of the tragic striker, who hanged himself in 1998.

Archive footage shows former Wimbledon star John, now 49, speaking about his brother on TV.

He tells the interviewer he would not be comfortable in a dressing room taking his clothes off in front of Justin and claims other players would feel the same.

Amal, just ten at the time Justin died, voices horror at the comments. But John defends himself, saying: "We are all selfish here, Justin was selfish, because to come out and not care, or worry about anybody else, and tell the world you're gay at a time when it was so hostile..."

He then tells sobbing Amal: "Don't cry darling, its OK, no more tears." But John breaks down himself when Amal asks if he would do things differently now.

With a tear running down his cheek he says: "Mistakes were made." Hugging her, he adds: "We've cried nearly two decades for Justin — it's enough." Earlier in the show John says: "Remember, Justin was one of the first black million-pound players. Being alone was a challenge in itself. Being gay is a different ball game completely.

"This a macho men's game. The game of football is for bully boys, the bulldog, the sly tackle on a wet day with mud all over your face, a few cuts. It was not for two men to do a sly tackle and then go back and kiss each other — that was not what we believed. Who gives a hoot if you are gay or not? Nobody cares, it was the cheap way it came out.

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