Eilidh Barbour has detailed some of the ‘jokes and gags’ by Bill Copeland that caused a walk-out by some of those attending Sunday’s awards night for the Scottish Football Writers Association.
A set of gags that seemed to be from Bernard Manning’s scripts of the seventies isn’t really appropriate in 2022 unless it is to a very select audience such as those that you’d find in a Masonic Lodge in Bearsden or Orange Hall in Bridgeton.
With members of the SFWA able to book a table and invite guests there was a fairly diverse audience there to honour Ange Postecoglou and Craig Gordon with a special honour for Alex Ferguson.
Some over-18 type humour is expected from the speakers but Copeland went way too far as Barbour explained in The Telegraph:
When I first started working in sports broadcasting I was quite oblivious to this male-dominated environment I am still asked about today.
It never felt strange to me and, until Sunday night, I had never blatantly been made to feel like I was not welcome and that I was undeserving of my place.
But that is what Bill Copeland speaking at the annual Scottish Football Writers Awards did with an after-dinner speech that was on a level I have never before experienced.
Ten minutes into the speech, I got up and walked out. There were comments about the room smelling of “fake bake”. Women who wanted to go and touch up their make-up were told that Alex Salmond had been spotted in the foyer and that he would love to do it.
There were comments about how a man knew if he had f—– a woman from Paisley because his d— would start to itch. After I left, there was a slew of homophobic and racist comments.
I enjoy a joke, I can take a joke, but this wasn’t a joke. Degrading women, making homophobic jibes and using offensive racial terms should never be funny. It is divisive at a time when we are striving so hard for equality.
It seems that the organisers of the event thought that Copeland was a right laugh, paying a fee for his services.
While those attending at two tables decided to walk out it appears that most of those in attendance thoroughly enjoyed Copeland’s banter.
Barbour’s tweet on the night didn’t name the speaker but follow up reports have named lifelong Ibrox fan Copeland as the culprit.
Leading figures from the SFA and SPFL usually attend the SFWA awards night as well as media staff from the major clubs.
‘I can take a joke, but this was not a joke – degrading women, making homosexual jibes & using offensive racial terms should never be funny’
Exclusive: Eilidh Barbour (@EilidhBarbour) on walking out of the Scottish Football Writers’ Association awards https://t.co/077UMRYb2q
— Telegraph Women’s Sport (@WomensSport) May 10, 2022
Here’s a picture of Ex FIFA referee, Kenny Clark, S** journalist, Andy Devlin and after dinner speaker, Bill Copeland in St Brydes 579 Masonic hall in Uddingston. pic.twitter.com/uMWA3tB9zX
— Celtic (@YoutubeCelticFC) May 9, 2022
Kenny Clark is a member of the SFA Referee Committee.
Were radio clyde stalwarts, roger hannah and wee shug at this bash? Not a cheep from Glasgow’s biggest news outlet. Too busy letting sevvies on to talk about balloon journeys and other tall tales. HH
Eilidh Barbour’s partner is usually on tonight. Let’s see if they can joke their way through another two hours of torture. HH
The sfwa just shows how low they can go absolute shambles organising clown like this as a speaker take his fee back and give it to charity. What about the clown she can sit and laugh with who is nothing but a bigot towards anything to do with Celtic ,especially his piece about Leigh Griffiths when the lad was going through mental health issues enough said.
Well said Frankie you have hit the nail on the head.Hh
Its been like that for years at they awards full of masons the sfa.spfl are just as bad they scared to go near they scum at liebrox incase the threats start they all cowards at corrupt hampden.
I hope she’s consistent and calls out the racist crap that pours out of the rangers stands each and every match now she’s shown her upset at such ….