Scottish referee Lloyd Wilson believes football is “prepared and ready” for more people to come out publicly as gay and “good inroads” are being made as the game becomes more inclusive.
Wilson and fellow referee Craig Napier both came out as gay on Thursday and Wilson hopes his decision will inspire others in football to follow suit.
“There are people watching the game, week-in, week-out, there are people playing the game, there are people coaching the game, working in the game who are petrified even, and I hope that if my story encourages even one person then I’ve done a good job,” Wilson told Sky Sports News.
“I think now I can walk about the streets not having to be feeling as though I’m different. That needs to be normalised now and we’re starting to make good inroads, the evidence I think is there. Football I hope is prepared and ready for it and I’m pretty certain Scottish football is.”
Wilson, who referees in the lower Scottish leagues, revealed that a fear of a backlash almost made him change his mind about going public with his story, but the positive reaction has vindicated his decision.
Wilson said: “There will be people watching this who have been in the situation that I’ve been in for so long. And even last night, I was that close to pulling this where I just couldn’t do it. But the reaction I’ve had, it’s been incredible, absolutely incredible.
“The reaction that I’ve had – I’m really shocked by. The reaction has been exceptional, I’ve not had one negative comment. That was what I was really fearing. I’m bracing myself that they may come, I’m not naive enough to think that something might not come.
“But why now? 17 years of silence, 17 years of living a way that I haven’t wanted to live, you can only live like that for so long. I’ve got a partner of about a year, Hamish, who’s been an incredible support and incredible in encouraging this. So that’s why I’m doing this now.”
Wilson says he was inspired by the bravery of Jake Daniels, who became the first active professional men’s player in the UK to come out as gay since Fashanu in 1990 in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports last month, and Josh Cavallo, the Adelaide United player who also previously revealed he is gay.
“This hasn’t just been on a whim. This has been prepared for quite some time,” he said. “But I think Josh Cavallo is a name that absolutely has contributed to this, Jake Daniels too, 17-years-old, that’s absolutely incredible. Jake has definitely contributed to how I’m feeling and how I feel I can do what I’m doing. And actually, Josh is one of the people who has reached out to me today.
“I’ve not even responded to his message yet, and so it just shows you the kind of power that’s out there and not just Josh. There are lots of other high-profile names that have reached out, and the support has been immense and as a referee, you very rarely get support so it’s good to get that.”
Wilson was supported by Crawford Allan, Head of Referee Operations at the Scottish FA, in the weeks building up to the announcement – and the historic moment is yet to sink in.
“It was a big dilemma for me, do I take the bull by the horns, so to speak, and make this decision for others as well because primarily, of course, it is for me to hopefully have a better quality of life, not have to add that two-life situation.
“But I also think the important part here is there’s a very strong message in this. I have looked at some headlines today and it mentions, ‘First known referee comes out in Scotland’ and that’s really sad for me, that’s a real concern. This isn’t just about referees, club officials, clubs, there’s a huge message in this as well for players and taking it away from even Scottish football, in every daily walk of life, people are impacted by the experiences that I have had.
“The weight certainly isn’t off my shoulders at the moment. It sort of feels like that night before Christmas still, and I don’t know if it’s because I’m standing here talking on TV, but I’m still a bit shaky and nervous. I can’t believe I’m actually doing this, I’m still in that sort of shellshock moment.”
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