Bill Copeland cracked racist jokes about Japanese footballers at a dinner attended by Ange Postecoglou and Alex Ferguson on Sunday night.
The annual Scottish Football Writers Association awards night is for an adults only audience but there it seems that Copeland overstepped the mark on a few occasions.
His routine might go down a treat at Masonic Halls and Orange Lodges but it seems that the former Criminal Lawyer decided to use his favourite material in front of a more diverse audience.
The SFWA used to be a lads night out where reporters could wine and dine their favourite players, possibly players that they had known for years with everything strictly off the record.
With the influx of foreign players, clubs taking control of media contact and the tightening of expense accounts the attendees at the annual dinner in 2022 is very different from the sixties and seventies.
A couple of top players may have attended as the awards were handed out but Copeland’s routine became the headline act but not in the way the organisers would have wished.
Covering the fall-out from Sunday’s event The Telegraph reports:
Others to attend said Copeland, who the Telegraph has attempted to contact for comment, had used the word “p–f” while joking about his own father being homophobic.
They also said he used the word “N-p”, allegedly in connection with Celtic signing three Japanese players in January.
The SFWA said in a statement: “The Scottish Football Writers’ Association apologises to anyone offended or upset by material from one of our after-dinner speakers at last night’s annual awards dinner.
“We have agreed unanimously that this will act as a catalyst to review and improve the format of our future events to make it an enjoyable and inspirational event for all.”
Picking up on that report the Daily Mail produced the headline
Ex-barrister is dropped as an after-dinner speaker by agency over ‘sexist and homophobic’ jokes, ‘racist quips about Japanese players and using the word ‘p**f’ at Scottish Football awards ceremony
There has been a distinct lack of guests at the dinner condemning Copeland, normally there would be a number of officials from the SFA and SPFL enjoying some hospitality at this event. The Media Officers and Communication Managers at most clubs would also attend, cementing relationships.
Why should racism, sexism & homophobic comments be seen as permissible anywhere in Scotland? Let alone the subject of comedy. Shame on the SFWA & the speaker in question Bill Copeland. Well done @EilidhBarbour & the women who walked out. Dinosaurs have ruled Scotland too long. pic.twitter.com/1FHf4o9YQ4
— Gerry Hassan ?? (@GerryHassan) May 9, 2022
Never felt so unwelcome in the industry I work in than sitting at the Scottish Football Writers Awards. A huge reminder there is still so much to do in making our game an equal place #callitout #equalgame
— Eilidh Barbour ?? (@EilidhBarbour) May 8, 2022
So this just proves the BIGOTS are right at the top of our game here, he will end up being one of the guys working VAR.
That’s just typical of the union lawyer he thinks he can slag people off let’s just wait for the SFA giving him a slap on the wrist
Aye walk out in protest at their feelings being hurt by a comedian but say and do nothing about rabid hateful bigoted bile being spewed out at a certain football ground week in week out…..virtue signalling woke snowflakes the lot of them.
No wonder Scottish football is corrupt if scum like that are giving the go ahead to slag celtic players scum of the earth copeland and they corrupt rats at hampden sfa.spfl its embarrassing what goes on at the sfa.spfl mr parks threating Doncaster and nothing was ever done about sevco players broke covid rules 9 times nothing done shower of corrupt bastards thats running our game..RATS RATS