'David Coote coming out as gay had reverse impact on the LGBT community'

According to gay football icon Lianne Sanderson, though, it caused more harm than good.

Coote was dismissed in December after a viral video appeared online of him calling former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp a ‘German c**t’ along with a second clip of him snorting cocaine while working at Euro 2024.

The former referee later gave an interview to The Sun to apologise for his actions – and in the same piece came out as gay – suggesting that a lifelong struggle with his sexuality led to ‘really poor choices’.

While plenty of people reached out to offer their support for Coote, it unfortunately led to ridicule across social media.

After the interview, Coote endured abuse, jokes and memes mocking the timing of his coming out, which had nothing to do with his cocaine use or what he said about Liverpool and Klopp.

‘It’s been awful and no one deserves [the online abuse],’ Sanderson told Metro. ‘There are people out there who have disgusting views. I eat, sleep and breathe them every single day.

‘But the thing that has rubbed me up the wrong way is there are people out there with this opinion that people are using certain things to get further ahead in life now.

‘[The timing of David Coote coming out] has had the reverse impact on our community. I’ve had loads of people messaging me saying he is playing the “gay card”.

‘For someone like me, I am constantly trying to break down barriers and I’ve had a lot of people message me from the community who feel the same.

‘I am trying to show that I am good enough, being a woman of colour and being gay, and I feel these situations just knock it back a little bit.’

‘These two scenarios are completely separate’

Sanderson feels ‘sorry’ for Coote but believes coming out in the same interview in which he apologised for his shocking behaviour was a mistake – and that he should have waited until later to reveal his sexuality.

‘I think in modern day, people are scared to speak up or they are scared of saying something wrong and I get that,’ Sanderson continued.

‘But these two scenarios are completely separate.

‘Listen, it’s everyone’s prerogative if they want to come out. I’m a massive advocate for my community, I was one of the first ever England women’s players to come out, probably one of the first in the world.

‘With this whole David Coote thing, I feel sorry for him, we all make mistakes and we all have skeletons in the closet.

‘But the sexuality part and him taking cocaine and doing that video is not the same thing. We all have troubles in life but it does not condone bad behaviour.

‘Did he really need to speak out [about his sexuality at that moment]? Were people waiting around for him to speak out? I don’t think they were and it’s almost made it worse.’

‘Whoever it is advising David Coote needs to do a better job’

While Sanderson does not blame Coote himself, she has pointed the finger at his advisors.

‘I think whoever it is advising him needs to do a better job,’ Sanderson said. ‘They advised him to do it in this way.

‘I’m sure he is a nice guy but I am sure he does not feel better for doing that interview. I haven’t seen many good responses from it.’

Will David Coote ever make a return to football?

There has been talk of Coote making a return to football somewhere down the line, possibly in an advisory role for PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited), so he can help prevent future referees from making similar mistakes.

‘I can’t speak for him – but I do think there is a place for him,’ Sanderson added. ‘Not refereeing, because he will always have this over him but time is a healer and I’m sure it will die down.

‘But what would that role look like? Him saying, “Don’t make the same mistakes as I did?” – people should know that anyway.

‘I don’t really know where it would fit in and why would he want to put himself in that situation. If I was him, I wouldn’t want to be in the football world for some time. But that doesn’t mean never.’

‘David Coote still very welcome in the LGBT community’

When Sanderson first revealed her stance on the Coote situation on her X account, Zander Murray, a retired footballer who previously became the first Scottish openly gay player in the SPFL, suggested that Coote had turned to drugs because he was battling internalised homophobia.

‘I’m sure they are people in the community that have done,’ Sanderson said. ‘There’s lots of people who have turned to alcohol and drugs to fight their sexuality and their feelings.

‘But what are we going to do… Go through life saying everyone is allowed to do what they want and make mistakes because of their sexuality? Do you know what I mean?

‘There will be people who support him because they will empathise. We all make mistakes but the community will always welcome him.

‘It’s not a matter of that now he can’t go to LGBT events and people won’t welcome him. That’s not the reality. He is welcome. If he wants to pick up the phone, I am happy to talk to him.

‘These things have a detrimental impact. I do believe he thinks this would’ve had a positive impact. I feel for him because I’m sure he’s in a bad way and it’s a lonely place for him. I urge the people around him to reach out and support him.’

Metro has approached David Coote for comment.