THE captain of a football team at the centre of a homophobic abuse investigation has categorically denied the allegations against his side.

Saturday’s game at Brasenose College Sports Ground, between Union Street FC and Donnington FC in the Oxford City Football League, was marred when Union Street players left the pitch following accusations of homophobic abuse from the Donnington side.

Union Street player Alex Pratchett was wearing a rainbow headband when it is alleged he was called a ‘f*****g poof’.

An Oxfordshire FA spokesperson confirmed yesterday it is pursuing an investigation.

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Donnington captain Jerome McCalmon said the allegations are ‘hurting’ the club and its players.

He said: “We strongly deny allegations of homophobic abuse or comments being made.

“The referee was verbally and physically abused after being pushed by the player, then the player said a homophobic comment was made.

“The guy was sent off and put his hands on the referee.

“There was obviously some verbal back and forth, but absolutely no homophobic abuse – there’s no place for homophobic abuse in football.

“The referee said himself he didn’t hear a comment, and we didn’t hear it.

“Now we’re under investigation and it’s hurting Donnington as a club, and individual players.”

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Mr McCalmon added that all forms of discrimination were unacceptable.

“If someone in our club said that, it wouldn’t be tolerated and I wouldn’t accept that,” he said.

“We’re being painted as a homophobic team and a dirty team, it’s not something we want to be associated with or how we want to be perceived – we support the LGBT community.

“I’m myself black and if someone on my team made any racist or homophobic comment – discrimination is discrimination.

“It’s not right, and doesn’t belong in society.

“We didn’t want to initially comment on this but we felt we had to make a comment now.”

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The game between the two teams was described as ‘an aggressive one’ by Aiden Canaday, Union Street’s club secretary.

Mr McCalmon said: “It’s a physical game, a contact sport, but we do not go into games to hurt people.

“Football is a sport which unites people – we won’t have discrimination at our club, and I speak for everyone in the team when I say that.

“We will be open in the investigation because we know it will clear our name.

“We are committed to fighting prejudice in the game.

“We’re in 2022 – you should be able to live your life as you want to.

“To show my support, I will be wearing the LGBT armband and laces for the rest of the season.”

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Union Street provided a club statement, which denies any of its players pushed the referee.

“We are delighted to hear that Jerome will be wearing a rainbow armband and laces throughout the rest of the season to support and highlight the Stonewall Rainbow Laces campaign,” the statement read.

“This response does not change the opinion of the club that our players were subject to homophobic abuse during the game.

“The club entirely refutes the allegations made that any of our players physically abused the referee in any way, shape or form, and we are confident that any investigation into this will prove it to be false.

“The club has never sought to deny that one of our players swore at the referee in the aftermath of the homophobic abuse directed at him.

“The player has received a fine and a two-match ban for this, which neither the club or the player will be appealing.”

Union Street will be making no further comment, while Oxfordshire FA undertakes its investigation.

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