LGBT+ History Month: Clive’s story
Through our Red, White and You initiative, we’re recognising LGBT+ History Month, an event in the calendar for all of us to support and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community. As part of the event this year, we’re sharing stories from dedicated Saints fans who’re part of the community.
Clive is a lifelong Saints fan and St Mary’s Season Ticket Holder. He grew up in Southampton and came to his first game as a child – everything was about football.
His early love of the sport turned into a successful amateur career, representing Stonewall FC.
Stonewall was established in London during the early 1990s when one of the club’s founding members placed an advert in a gay publication looking for like-minded people to play competitive football.
The aim – to create a footballing environment where people could be themselves and it’s still the same today.
Saints legend, Franny Benali met Clive at St Mary’s to chat about his experiences both as a player for Stonewall and a Saints fan. Watch below:
More than thirty years down the line from its beginning and Stonewall has three competitive 11-a-side teams, three competitive women and non-binary teams and an offering of 5-a-side football.
Clive joined Stonewall in 1996, playing for the club for eight years, filling his trophy cabinet in the process. With the side, he played in and won the IGLFA World Championship in Germany in 2000, the Middlesex County Senior Division in 2001 and the Gay Games in Australia in 2002, amongst other achievements.
Of the accolades he won, Clive says the Middlesex County league title meant the most - competing in and winning a competition for people of any sexuality. It showed not only that Stonewall could compete with anyone, but that sexual preference wasn’t relevant.
He was and still is no different to any other Saints fan or amateur footballer, he just happens to be gay.
We as a club now work with Rainbow Saints, our LGBTQ+ supporters’ network, with the aim of empower the community connected to the club to create positive change in attitudes. Learn more about Rainbow Saints on their website ➡️: Rainbow Saints
