Read on below for Proud and Palace’s account of the tournament…
The Football v Homophobia tournament featured LGBT+ fan groups and teams from across London, with our own group Proud and Palace joined by Gay Gooners (Arsenal), Proud Lilywhites (Spurs), RainbOs (Leyton Orient), Rainbow Rangers (QPR), Pride of Irons (West Ham), Left Footers FC, and a team from the Palace for Life Foundation.
Having been cruelly knocked out on goal difference at the group stage (despite winning two of three games) at the last Football for All tournament hosted by Leyton Orient, Proud and Palace were determined to go further on home turf, as the teams came together in the Academy dome.
We started well, fittingly finishing top of Group A after winning all three games. Following victory in a tough semi-final against Left Footers FC, the stage was set for an all-Palace final, as we were pitted against the Palace for Life Foundation team!
With both sets of players determined to win under the dome, the final was fiercely contested, with Proud and Palace’s Luke Fuller bagging the winner in a 2-1 victory.
We at Proud and Palace were considering offering the trophy to the club to place on display alongside the Zenith Data Systems Cup, but suspect it might take pride of place in the Fuller household instead!