Coventry City’s LGBTQ+ and allies fan group, Proud Sky Blues, is celebrating its second anniversary; founder Lewis Wale talks about the journey so far and the importance of Bi Visibility Day on September 23; “Groups like ours exist so you don’t have to figure it out alone,” he says…

By Sports Media LGBT+

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Starting something new can be scary, and over the course of the last decade or so, many LGBTQ+ football fans have had to face that fear.

Lewis Wale, a Coventry City fan since the age of nine, is one such example. When he decided back in 2023 to launch Proud Sky Blues as a new group for fellow LGBTQ+ supporters of the club, it was a daunting prospect.

However, two years down the line, he can certainly look back with pride. The group soon won the official backing of the Championship club, which was shortlisted last season in the Professional Game category at the Football v Homophobia Awards.

Marking the anniversary on Instagram, Lewis listed some of the achievements: “From vibrant home games to noisy away days; from seeing the players wear our warm-up shirts to playing a friendly match with another supporters’ group; from big nights out to handing over a Player of the Season award; from awards nights to Wembley trips; from getting off the ground to over 100 members.”

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Proud Sky Blues are among more than 50 active LGBTQ+ supporters’ groups for clubs across England and Wales, united under the umbrella of Pride in Football.

They regularly amplify the FvH message on social media and across the wider Coventry City fanbase, alongside the club.

Also taking place this month is the annual Bi Awareness Week, which culminates in Bi Visibility Day on September 23. For Lewis, it’s an important time in the calendar and an opportunity to highlight a part of the community that is often less visible than others.

We reached out to him to learn more about Proud Sky Blues, the ongoing work of the LGBTQ+ fan group movement, and some of his own story.

“I’m bisexual,” says Lewis, “although these days I tend to describe my sexuality to people as “fluid”. Either way, I’m proud of who I am.”

Let’s get into the Q&A!

Congratulations on the anniversary! Proud Sky Blues’ recent Instagram post explained how it’s been “quite the ride” – what have been the stand-out moments?

Lewis: Thanks! Our big ‘breakthrough’ and a highlight for me was after the M69 Derby in January 2024, when Foxes Pride [the Leicester City LGBTQ+ fan group] suggested a post-match link-up – five new members turned up for their first meet-up that day, and things have flourished since.

As a Coventry fan, it pains me to credit Leicester for anything (!) but I’m genuinely grateful to Rishi at Foxes Pride for helping to make that moment happen.

What I’m most proud of is hearing our members say they finally have a matchday routine that centres on friendship and shared experiences. It’s the familiar faces on the way to the stadium, “see you at the bar?”, discussing the team sheet, and the inevitable post-match debrief in the WhatsApp group that lasts longer than the match itself.

People who used to arrive alone now know they won’t be on their own; everyone is greeted by name, and you can feel the mix of ages, identities and allies knitting into something that feels properly Sky Blue and properly ours.

That sense of belonging was always the goal – not a pin badge or a flag (although these are great), but a rhythm to the day that makes football feel more like home.

And then there was the chance to play a part in LGBTQ+ football history when three of us featured in the promo for the first-ever EFL Rainbow Ball.

Being asked to help launch it felt like a step change: a sign that what supporter groups do isn’t a side project, it’s part of the fabric of the game. Seeing Coventry represented on that platform was a proud moment – for us as a group, for our city, and for anyone who’s ever wondered if there’s a place for them in football.

Tell us how the group began. How challenging was it to get started, and why were you motivated to make it a success?

Honestly, the hardest part was finding the courage to press “go”. I’d had the idea for at least a year, watching other LGBTQ+ fan groups bring people together and thinking, “Coventry should have that too”.

I’m proud of where I’m from, and as someone who often went to games on my own, I was craving community – and I was sure others were as well.

At first, it was slow going – four people at our first meet-up, and we didn’t top that for quite some time. But the interest online and steady stream of sign-ups told me there was something there; maybe people just needed to see how it would pan out before getting more involved. That belief kept me going.

Who have been your football inspirations and role models?

My on-pitch heroes are mostly Coventry players, for football reasons. The late 1990s and mid-2000s heroes always spring to my mind: Gary McAllister, Darren Huckerby, Michael Mifsud, Michael Doyle, and so on. More recently, the names I always shout about are Viktor Gyökeres and James Maddison.

In terms of LGBTQ+ role models, though, I’ve been really moved by the courage of people like Jake Daniels and Josh Cavallo – their stories really mattered because they opened conversations in the men’s game that had been stuck for years.

I’m continually inspired by those helping to make fellow LGBTQ+ supporters’ groups tick and I’m thankful to those who have taken the time to meet with us on match days (QPR Rainbow Rangers, Rainbow Owls, Proud Baggies, and Foxes Pride).

Tuesday is Bi Visibility Day, which is the conclusion to Bi Awareness Week. Last year, we shared some advice from our friend Jahmal. What advice, if any, would you share?

I think it’s vital to allow people to define, or not define, themselves. Labels can help, but they can also feel too tight. People’s interpretation of “bi” can be either really broad or very narrow – but fluidity is real.

I know it can feel instinctive to do so, but don’t box people based on their partner. Being with a woman doesn’t mean I “switched teams”. I’m still me.

Challenge biphobia, including inside LGBTQ+ spaces. All of the pointed comments I’ve had have come from gay men, such as: “So you’re straight now?” Usually, it’s curiosity clumsily expressed, but it still erases people. Choose curiosity without categorising.

Assume attraction isn’t a straight line. It can change over time and context, and that’s OK.

Find your community. If you’re bi/queer and love football, come say hi! Groups like ours exist so that you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Lewis has shared more here about his experiences as a Coventry fan.

Here’s a relevant statistic – the proportion of people aged 16 to 24 years identifying as bi more than doubled from 2.8% to 7.5% between 2018 and 2023 (ONS). How can football clubs and campaigns help young bi / queer people?

Visibility matters: clubs can (and should) platform real stories from bi fans and staff – not just on Bi Visibility Day, but year-round.

Matchdays should reflect that same openness: signpost LGBTQ+ supporters’ groups in programmes, on the big screen and in pre-match emails so people know exactly where to find groups like ours.

Marketing and club imagery should also show bi people and a range of couples and families. Seeing yourself represented is a powerful signal of belonging.

Then comes real follow-through: turning “you’re welcome here” into action. Give stewards and fan-facing staff simple guidance on language; empower bystanders to tackle abuse and discrimination, with the steps on how to make reports; make zero-tolerance policies obvious; keep reporting routes easy; and follow up publicly, so fans see that accountability.

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Our thanks to Lewis! To find out more about Proud Sky Blues, and to connect, visit their website and follow the social accounts.

You can also get advice and support on setting up an LGBTQ+ fans group from Pride in Football, while FvH can provide access to resources, expertise and community related to LGBTQ+ inclusion in football.

Further reading…

Bi Visibility Day archive (Sports Media LGBT+)

‘Coming out as bisexual helped my football career’ (Jahmal Howlett-Mundle for BBC Kent, August 2025)

These 29 men’s soccer players have come out as gay or bi at the pro or semipro level (Outsports, July 2025)

10 ways you can step up as an ally to bi people (Stonewall, September 2025)

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