QPR and London Titans unite to ‘keep equality at the heart of football’
QPR have announced a partnership with LGBT football team London Titans FC.
Rangers’ link-up with the Titans, which comes at the start of Football vs Homophobia’s Month of Action, will see the two teams work together to promote diversity and equality in the sport.
Formed from a kickabout in October 2005, London Titans FC now provides a space for more than 50 LGBT footballers to play in a supportive environment, away from the homophobia that has dogged some levels of the game.
The club now hopes its partnership with Rangers will increase its engagement with the wider footballing community, including a greater LGBT presence at matches and possibly a future LGBT supporters group.
Through becoming community partners, Titans will draw on the experience of the QPR Community Trust’s community engagement and fundraising.
The tie-up will see coaching tutorials for Titans players delivered by qualified QPR academy staff, observation opportunities to develop coaching skill, competitive fixtures and tournament presence and support in fundraising initiatives.
Titans manager Phil Steer said: “We’re really proud to provide an accepting and competitive space for players to experience the game regardless of their sexuality.
“Over the last 10 years, we’ve come a long way and it’s great to see the community that has grown around a love of the game free from the homophobia you may find elsewhere.
“Entering into partnership with QPR signals an exciting step for the club, and the importance on both sides of keeping equality at the heart of football.”
Titans are one of the country’s most active and successful LGBT football clubs, having reached the second-tier final of the International Gay and Lesbian Football Association (IGLFA) European Championship, as previous champions of the Gay Football Supporters’ Network’s National League.
They were also winners of the recent Brighton Lesbian and Gay Sports Society tournament against teams from across the country, and plan to have a colorful representation and presence at this year’s IGLFA World Championships in Portland, Oregon.
The club’s first team participates in the FA-affiliated Middlesex Sportsman’s League and enters two squads, London Titans 2 Brewers and XXL London Titans, in the weekly London Unity League (LUL) made up of LGBT football teams across the capital, giving players of all abilities the opportunity to play regular football.
Titans also pride themselves on their long tradition of fundraising for local charities and community projects. Through this, the club has developed strong links with charities working to support the LGBT community, such as the gay men’s health charity GMFA, Switchboard, Stonewall and the Albert Kennedy Trust.
For more information, or for details of how to get involved, contact club secretary Stu Forward on [email protected]. For player enquiries, email Phil Steer at [email protected].
