Swansea’s first LGBTQ+ football team become official supporter group

Swansea Galaxy – the city’s first LGBTQ+ football club – have become an official Swansea City supporter group and attended the Reading match on October 18 to celebrate the new partnership.

The Reading match was also the club’s dedicated Rainbow Laces match.

Swansea Galaxy was started by Scott Coleman who had been in a similar team in Bristol known as the Bristol Panthers. Once arriving in the city, he quickly learned that the closest LGBTQ+ football team was in Cardiff.

Having taken so much from being part of the Panthers, Coleman decided to start his own team in his new hometown in order to give LGBTQ+ people access to football in a safe, non-judgmental environment.

“We want to be an inclusive space for everyone as soon as we start playing, nothing else is thought about,” he said.

“We’re a friendly bunch and we want to make sure that we’re open to everyone.

“From my perspective, I grew play up football in traditional teams – very heterosexual environments – it’s not always a place where you feel you can be yourself or not at that time in the early 2000s.

“I think for me it’s really important to have that social aspect and be confident that the people around you won’t discriminate against you because of your sexual preferences.

“It’s so important that people who are local to Swansea to be able to come and play football without fearing discrimination no matter who they are.

“We’ve got regulars now and we’ve got more and more people turning up every week. We don’t turn anyone away and we try to cater for everyone: all abilities, all gender identities, everyone is welcome.”

Scott hopes that by becoming an official supporter group of Swansea City, Swansea Galaxy will be able to reach more people across the city and raise awareness of their team.

“One of my first aims here was to try to establish that link with Swansea City so that we can reach out to football fans in Swansea and let people know that we’re here,” he added.

“The support from the club has been amazing so far in terms of seeing the stadium, going to the Reading match and now we’re becoming an official supporters' group."