Oxford City striker Lee Steele have them fired for posting a comment on Twitter About homophobic former rugby player Gareth Thomas of Wales.

Mike Ford, director of the Southern Football League Premier Division club, said that the decision taken in response to WAS Steele About Thomas tweeting appearance in Celebrity Big Brother. Steele wrote: “I do not want the bed next to Gareth Thomas # padlockmyarse”.

Ford told the BBC: “On this occasion, Lee had to pay for the historical errors of judgment He made a homophobic comment, [but] this does not necessarily mean that it is homophobic ..”

A club statement said: “The city of Oxford Council has decided to release Lee Steele in view of recent historical commentary via social media seriously, which is contrary to the philosophy of the club.”

Thomas first spoke publicly about his sexuality, in 2009, saying:. “I have all kinds of emotions to the bottom – tears, anger and the utter despair I was not sure if I ever wanted to know and to be honest, I’m Concerned about people’s reactions and the effect it could have on my family.

Steele, 38, a long career in the Football League playing for Shrewsbury including clubs, Oxford United and Leyton Orient, Brighton and was part of the team that won the old division two in 2001-02.

“It ‘s been really hard for me, hiding who they really are and do not want it to be so for the next young person who wants to play rugby or some frightened little boy.”

Reacting to the looting, the Justin Campaign against homophobia in football, said: “Although it is never nice to see someone who loses a position in a club or society, we fully applaud the decision of the club to terminate the contract of the player.

“For too long, like those homophobic comments Steele made Defense have used the argument that erroneous statements as merely harmless ‘jokes’. Howeve, we no longer accept racist ‘jokes’, and similarly, we do not accept Must homophobic ‘jokes’.

“The courageous decision to Oxford City shows us that things are slowly moving in the right direction and that football is starting to homophobia, transphobia and biphobia seriously.”

Picture by: René Clausen Nielsen - Flickr