FOUNDER OF LGBT+ LIVERPOOL supporters’ group Kop Outs Paul Amann believes “great strides” have been made in their match-day experience and admits his ultimate goal would be for the organisation to cease to exist.
Amann set up the group in 2016 following five years as the LGBT+ representative on the club’s supporters’ committee but would happily see it disbanded because there was no longer a need for its services.
His work and promotion of the issues for Kop Outs may have led to online death threats but he believes thanks to the full backing of the club the situation in real life is markedly improved.
Amann still remembers the “gut punch” of the Kop singing an offensive homophobic chant when former beloved striker Fernando Torres returned to the club for the first time with Chelsea in 2011.
Only last August that song was still an issue, with Norwich’s on-loan Blues midfielder Billy Gilmour targeted at Carrow Road, but the subsequent positive was a meeting with Jurgen Klopp and the unequivocal support of the Reds boss.
And Amann believes that reached more people than traditional means ever could as a Kop Outs statement denouncing the chant had received a “50-50” response.
“There was a lot of pushback, saying it was ‘only banter’ and ‘nothing to do with homophobia’,” he told the PA news agency.
“The club reached out and the outcome of that interview with Jurgen from the social media side was dramatic – we saw a switch (in favour) to 90%.
“At the next match at home to Chelsea there were sporadic outbreaks of the offensive chant but that was then shut down by fellow fans.
“I’ve been approached scores of times over the last year by regular fans who have said ‘Thank you for doing what you did with Jurgen, I was at that match and I tapped someone on the shoulder’.
“Fans were genuinely being empowered and that is what we want, we don’t want to prosecute our way out of the situation.”
It is a far cry from 11 years ago when the former Kop idol Torres returned just six days after completing his move to Stamford Bridge.
“Great strides have been made and there is still some work to do and we are not complacent,” Amman added.
“I remember seeing a huge swathe of the Kop ‘welcome’ Torres back to Anfield with that offensive chant and it was a bit of a gut punch, to be frank.
“I was there with my mate for her first Anfield match; she is a lesbian who is quite an activist herself and the two of us looked at each other thinking ‘This isn’t You’ll Never Walk Alone, this is something completely opposite.
“I’ve never heard that level of homophobia since as we started to engage with Spirit of Shankly and other fans groups and social media associated with the club.
“There is clearly a declining trend of homophobic behaviour at Anfield.
“Eventually I’d like to see a day when we don’t have a Kop Outs, when we don’t have any need to have an organisation such as ours which tries to advocate to improve the experience at the match.
“That would be the ultimate goal.”
As part of the city’s Pride celebrations the LFC Foundation will host its biggest Pride football tournament at the Anfield Sports and Community Centre on Saturday and Liverpool staff and supporters will take part in the ‘March with Pride’ taking place in the city next weekend.
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All I’m hoping for is a good quality match, with little to no malicious play or no play acting. And also for Engerland to lose like 3-0…
@Tomás O’Loughlin: great match… it your wish had gone..england are up…nice goal as well..
@Tomás O’Loughlin: 2 0 looks like football coming home
I’m supporting our neighbours, after all i tune in to UK football for the winter.
@RJ: are you interested in investing in property in Florida?
@Alan Carmody: 1200 a month profit sounds good
@bmul: just dm me your bank login details, I’ll take care of the rest: easy money!
@Alan Carmody: Alan, go stick on some porn for yourself lad, u seem board.
@RJ: cardboard?
C’mon Sweeden,
Ikea will pack England into a nice little box and send them home tonight
@ianglen: hope so!
If it wasn’t for the lunacy of the English media then I wouldn’t begrudge them a win at all
@Kian: what are you doing reading English media?
@Steve Monk: umm…reading English media…why?
@Steve Monk: what media do you ingest Steve. Any papers?
@Jonny Chip: a strict diet of TG4 and RTÉ radio 1 for him I’d say
@Jonny Chip: English because I’m English.
@Steve Monk: and of course Irish media because I live and have a family here. I would never though bemoan Irish media because of how much they go on, let’s say, about Irish rugby. I do of course understand a dislike of other nations teams and I’m still working hard on getting my son on supporting England but as he tells me, it ain’t gonna happen.
@Steve Monk: why are you consuming irish media by being on the journal then if you are english?? your logic not mine
@Generation Snowflake: no we complain about their absolute certainty of victory every 4 years.
Is it coming home?
@Niall O’Shea: no, brazil are out.
@Niall O’Shea: it moved to France a while back but doesn’t want to go back coz brexit :P
@Kian: ohhhhh topical! :) nice
@Niall O’Shea: looking like it, fair play to our neighbours
sweden wont trouble england
@Just Some Guy: @ianglen: England will be sick after this hurdy gurdy ride.
@Just Some Guy: sick with delight?
@Matt Connolly: joy pukes
Another penalty shootout?
Sweden make the way Ireland play football look attractive
@Turk Oneeighttwo: It wouldn’t be hard.
Some difference in standard between this game and yesterday‘s games.
By jaysus sweden are terrible. How did they get so far? Glad england scored just to open up the game.
Sterling seems to be Sweden’s best player, he has done everything to keep the score down.
Pity the England player’s. Every tournament the media and fan’s create an absolute frenzy. Ridiculous. Maybe if they had of won a decent group and knocked out a decent Colombia. Any way’s refreshing to see the way Southgate has them bonded as a group. Swedan on pens for me .
@A Right Pair Of King’s !: it’ll be a draw I’d say, hard to call after that but hopefully victory will be Swede.
@Alan Carmody: Difficult for sure. I couldn’t pick as i had no luck predictions wise this world cup. Asked my 11 year old son he said 2 nil Kane first goal. 14/1. 5 euro. Last if big spenders i know but a win is a win i suppose.
was wondering how Ireland would have looked in the tournament now I know after watching Sweden
Pity England persit with side wards backwards henderson other than that I really hope they win this one come on England
@Back pass: Actually having a good tournament. More pass accuracy than any other midfielder. Sidewards or backwards, once not going into stands it’s ok. He even has better stats than Pogba and he is playing in some squad. Now stat blew me away.
@Nucky: Intriguing input. Than you.
@Nucky: you don’t really like the truth or facts do you?
@PATO DUNNE: Ignore him. I reported his many intriguing inputs. 42 will respond. Allegedly.
@A Right Pair Of King’s !: You’d be lost without Pogba and Lukaku
@John Connolly: How, i suoport Liverpool. Hard luck.
@A Right Pair Of King’s !: You’ve talked about the pair of them enough last season
@A Right Pair Of King’s !: How come you haven’t made any comments since Liverpool lost the champions league final
@John Connolly: Whatever. Im still enjoying the comment’s regarding the 09 and 11 finals.
@A Right Pair Of King’s !: Ha ha ha,you can’t even support your team when they lose but I suppose you made a clown out of yourself leading up to the final you had to go into hiding
@A Right Pair Of King’s !: Are you not able to answer why you disappeared after Liverpool lost the final
0 – 0 90 minutes 7/1
Well done lads
Oh god if England win, we’ll have to listen to Frank Skinner sing again. Poxy voice.
@Ciaran O’Brien: sing what?
Nice set piece. It doesn’t say much about the level and f football being played but goes to show what a little preparation can do.
Jaysus Sweden are W@nk
All these bitter anti British idiots on here saying that the English media will be unbearable if the win the Cup.
Are they forgetting were gave our returning losers an open top bus through the city and a party in the park
Ah lads, Sweden. What the…??
Safe to say the eventual World Cup winners aren’t coming from this match.
The footballs coming home boyz…whether we like it or not
Hope all the naysayers care watching
Sweet divine how bad are Sweden
Mother of God how brutal are Swedan. Praying the Croatia game is decent. Thank God the GAA is on tomorrow. Jesus wept that was hard to watch.
Sterling is a cod Rashford would have had a hat trick by now with those chances
@Nucky: Of course he would. That’s why he starts every game for England and Man United. Dear God your knowledge of the game is on a par with a 6 year old.
Sweden v Switzerland game was brutal so England have an easy win me thinks.. France or Belgium could very possibly win this year..
Pickford is becoming very easy to dislike. 2 good saves in the 2nd & he gets up & is shouting his head off. Understandable if defenders are being lazy but both times attackers were under pressure…..You’re a keeper, your job is to make saves so shut up or the spotlight will be on him more when he makes a mistake.
@mmk: your a keeper you’re job is to organise your defence. Good keepers are generally shouting at their defenders
@ed w: so shouting is organising? Great way to communicate! The defenders were doing their jobs, shots are going to come in, but they were under pressure. If you’re just constantly shouting it just becomes noise, people tend to ignore noise.
The English fans with their fcuking brass band are insufferable! Jesus, the same thing over and over and over again!
@Generation Snowflake: Nope…pretty sure I’d hate it if it was Irish fans too!
Harry Wilson = baller
My God Sweden are useless.
@Martin McKenna: two poor teams.
Well done England…Sun Beer And Football…..oh wait im in the maternity
Oh god, nooooooooooo