The macho football world has a hard time accepting over the years that some of the players are gay, and these show great fear of being exposed, at least as long as they are active.
In a BBC Channel 4 program, they sought to investigate the issue, and among the interviewees was Leeds United's leading and active pioneer from the Premier League, Patrick Bumford, who presented a different picture, at least in his personal opinion.
"I know in our locker room there will be no special reaction to coming out of one of the players' closets," Bumford said, "it should not be a big story in our days."
He added: "I want to tell players who are afraid to take this step, that they have no reason to worry, and if they need to talk about it with anyone, I'm here for them.
"I do not think that just because a footballer comes out of the closet it needs to change something. We will still be friends, nothing needs to change."
Former player manager Ian Holloway, now in the lower leagues, was also interviewed and promised to support any footballer who makes the big move, but also said: "In all honesty, football is a homophobic world. You have to build trust in the subject. "I'll throw him out of the group."
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