‘Racist quips about Japanese players and using the word ‘p**f’ at Scottish Football awards ceremony’ Bill Copeland gags exposed 

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.