Liverpool have moved to condemn a section of their travelling support for “offensive and inappropriate” chants during the 3-0 victory over Norwich City at Carrow Road.
Goals from Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane got the Reds’ Premier League campaign off to a winning start, but it was reported that some of the away end appeared to aim homophobic chants towards Norwich loanee Billy Gilmour and his parent club Chelsea.
Speaking on Twitter, LGBT+ Fans Group, 'Kop Outs!', posted: "Great result today marred by homophobic chanting by some of our fans targeting Chelsea loanee Billy Gilmour.
"If you can't support without resorting to bigoted nonsense, you don't understand YNWA."
Liverpool ’s official Twitter account then shared Kop Outs message, adding: "The chant is offensive and inappropriate - a message we have repeatedly communicated alongside Kop Outs.
"We urge supporters to remember the inclusive values of the club and to refrain from using it in the future."
Tracy Brown, co-chair of Chelsea Pride, the LGBTQ+ supporters’ group for Chelsea feared that discrimination would “rear its ugly head” when the season resumed.
“Like many football fans from our community, I am all too aware of the homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, as well as other forms of discrimination, that riddle football,” she told the ECHO last week.
“This season, the fight against it will be just as hard, if not harder.
“A new report from the PFA highlighted homophobia is the most common form of abuse aimed at footballers online.
“It is a disgrace. If you were a gay man who played for a Premier League club, why would you feel comfortable to come out?”
In regards to the chant in question, Brown added: “The word 'banter' is thrown around all too much in football. I now hate this word.
“Homophobic chants like ‘Chelsea Rent Boys’, which are often passed as 'banter' have an extremely negative impact on the LGBTQ+ community.
“I myself feel extremely uncomfortable hearing this. I also hear from other Chelsea LGBTQ+ fans who tell me of the negative impact this has on them and how they feel when they come to football.”
Brown also confirmed that she would be pressing the Crown Prosecution Service to recognise the chant as homophobic, claiming the CPS isn’t currently taking into account the impact of it on “not just Chelsea fans, but all LGBTQ+ football supporters”.
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