Day -405.
WorldCup2018 Part 1.
I'm getting the message that I don't have a future, or indeed a
present, as a movie critic, so the review of the documentary I am about
to watch may be short, very short. It's the story of Justin Fashanu,
first openly gay footballer in England. And he played at the height of
the crazy hooliganism of the early eighties. And he was black, when
there were very few black players playing at the highest level in
England. I'm looking forward to this......
Day -405
WorldCup2018 Part 2
I'm not a film critic but if I do watch films and I can offer an
opinion if I see one I like: "it was good, go see it." Today's Toronto
Hot Docs pick was 'Forbidden Games', the story of Justin Fashanu.
As the directors, Adam Darke and Jon Carey, said at the end of the
screening it's the story of Justin's troubled, sad childhood, the story
of him being the first £1m black footballer, the story of him being the
first openly gay footballer, the story of all the reports in newspapers
about his alleged sexual involvement with British MPs, the story of his
relationship with his brother John and the story of his tragic death at
the age of 37. There's a lot there and it should be watched.
My
question to the directors was whether they are surprised that nothing
has really changed in English football now. They mentioned the story of
two Premier League players who were reported to be about to announce two
years ago that they were gay. They never did. And, as an Aston Villa
fan, I remember Thomas Hitzlsperger who revealed he is gay after he
retired. When he made the announcement he said that he considered doing
it when he was playing for Wolfsburg, in Germany, but was advised
against it.
Nothing really has changed. It is still a taboo, in
football more than any other sport, Mr Darke and Mr Carey pointed out.
They were also asked about the racism problem which despite all of Fifa
and UEFA's campaigns is still an issue. The recent case of Sulley
Muntari and the slow reaction from the Italian FA is a sad reminder that
what players in Justin Fashanu's time went through is still prevalent
today.
I always break things down in my head to the simplest
levels, beyond any politics or complicated socio-demographic issues and I
find it hard to comprehend that it's so easy for some people to hate
(yes, hate) a footballer because he is black or gay.
Beyond the
scope and message of the documentary I found it interesting that Justin
Fashanu was always considered the better player than his younger brother
John. John Fashanu was the Fashanu I remember, probably more as the
unlikely star as part of the 'Crazy Gang' Wimbledon team of the early
1990's. Justin, in my memory, was the brother who wasn't quite as good.
But he apparently had the greater talent. It's just that he made a name
for himself as a young player with Norwich, at about the time that Aston
Villa and Brazil '82 were entering my consciousness. I didn't have time
for Norwich. Justin's career started heading downhill after his £1m
move to Nottingham Forest where his manager, the colourful Brian Clough
didn't approve of his 'antics'. According to a football agent quoted in
the film (Fashanu's? I'm not sure) Justin failed at Forest "because he
was gay".
But this is my happy football period. So today's
moment is Justin Fashanu
scoring the goal he is best remembered for, and
as the directors of 'Forbidden Games' agreed on, probably the moment
that most football fans remember him for and not, sadly, as a pioneer
for the rights of any minorities playing football.
