‘Football should be for everybody!’: London Titans FC win national LGBTQ sports team award
Events and sponsorship officer Ollie James-Parr says everyone associated with London Titans FC is thrilled at the club’s Gaydio Pride Awards 2025 success; Titans were shortlisted alongside Newcastle Frontrunners and Bristol Swifts and picked up the top prize at the gala event in Manchester on Friday…
London Titans FC are celebrating success in the Sports Team of the Year category at the Gaydio Pride Awards.
The Titans, who will celebrate their 20th anniversary later in 2025, were named winners at a gala evening in Manchester on Friday.
It’s the third year of the Gaydio Pride Awards, with rugby’s Transmanian Devils RFC and trailblazing trans-inclusive football club TRUK United FC having won the sports team category in the two previous editions.
London Titans were recognised by the judges for the club’s outstanding work in promoting inclusivity in football and advocating for trans rights, as well as for having a powerful presence at Pride in London 2024.
Committee members Luke Gardener, Thomas Croxall-Ingram, Luke Adar and Ollie James-Parr were all in Manchester to attend the ceremony and pick up the award.
“We’re just stunned,” said Thomas. “We want to pay respect to our other nominees as well, because we know how much energy goes into running a club and giving back.
“Everyone does what they do voluntarily as well. So a huge shout out to Newcastle Frontrunners and Bristol Swifts too.”
Sports Media LGBT+ caught up with Titans events and sponsorship manager Ollie to find out more about the Titans’ success…
Sports Media LGBT+: Congratulations Titans! What does it mean to you and the club to win this national award, in the club’s 20th year?
Ollie: We’re all incredibly proud as a club to be recognised at the Gaydio Pride Awards, and for it to happen as we approach our 20th anniversary this autumn makes it even more special.
London Titans is the sum of its parts, and every single member past and present has been vital to creating what we currently have, and the recognition that has now ensued.
It will sound mad cheesy, but we are a family, and you can see year-round our members turning up and turning out for each other, both on and off the pitch.
Later this year, we even have a Titans wedding, with Paul and Rene tying the knot – just like EastEnders’ 40th, we’re really pulling out all the stops for our anniversary year.
I’m sure we’ll also be able to offer a few Kat Slater ‘total slag’ moments before then as well!
All three shortlisted clubs in this category have been working hard for their members but also putting positivity back out into the wider community via social media, events, activities etc. What are you most proud of from the Titans’ work in this space in the last year or so?
I think it is important to shout out the other nominees for this award – both Newcastle Frontrunners and Bristol Swifts are incredible LGBTQ+ teams and we’re all obviously passionate about the importance of team sports within the LGBTQ+ community in providing spaces that for many haven’t been readily available to them.
From a Titans perspective, we’ve grown so much in the past few years, both in membership and also the scope of what we are able to offer.
Charitable giving has always been a huge part of our ethos – in autumn 2023, we celebrated £50,000 raised for important LGBTQ+ causes and since then, we’ve now actually crossed the £70,000 barrier, thanks to our regular monthly club night BALL at our incredible sponsors The Two Brewers in Clapham, as well as with Queerz Night.
From a football perspective, our new structure has allowed for us to create a Development team within the club, and work alongside various other clubs across the UK such as Leftfooters, Cardiff Dragons and more to organise fixtures and opportunities for those new to the game to grow and enjoy everything it has to offer. Football is and should be for everybody.
How do you hope to inspire other clubs to follow in your footsteps, such as on trans inclusion advocacy or other causes you’re all passionate about?
As a club and grassroots LGBTQ+ organisation, we’ve always felt incredibly passionate about using any platform and space available to us to campaign and support everyone within the community.
Through our fundraising, we’ve supported a huge range of important LGBTQ+ charities and causes including Not A Phase, LGBT Hero, The Food Chain, Switchboard, Mermaids, Mind Out, The Outside Project and many others.
We also place huge importance on trans inclusion and will always look to reaffirm this at major events such as Pride in London, where in 2024 we marched with a giant football net emblazoned with ‘Trans rights are human rights’, marching in support at London Trans Pride, and wearing our Trans captain armbands regularly at matches and tournaments.
We’re certainly not alone in doing so, Stonewall FC currently have a Women & Non Binary team and many of the other LGBTQ+ football teams across the UK regularly march in their respective Pride events.
Who within the Titans family should people know a little more about?
Those close to the club will know that we have had a very difficult few months with the passing of one of our founding members and club legend, Paul Wheeler, towards the end of 2024.
It cannot be overstated just how important Paul was to the club, and to our members both past and present, having been such a big part of our inception, through to many years on the committee in a variety of roles, and numerous seasons as a beloved manager in the London Unity League.
His sudden loss left many devastated, but we are determined to continue to honour him and his legacy for years to come.
In January, we hosted a celebration of his life at The Two Brewers, through which we established the Paul Wheeler Memorial Fund, which will be used to support young queer people who may not have the means to play the sport they love – Paul was passionate that everyone should have the same opportunities.
What’s next for the club?
We’ve got so many exciting plans this year, including a huge trip to Lyon for the EuroGames with already 50+ members signed up, a big camp float at Pride in London, our 20th anniversary birthday tournament on Saturday 11th October, and of course you can always catch us on the last Friday of every month at our regular club night BALL at The Two Brewers.
On Friday 28th March, we’ve got Great BALL of Fire celebrating the UK’s hunniest redheads with our incredible performers Amaya Napa and Ember, and if you’re a fan of a football-playing drag queen with a high pony and an ass which won’t quit, then Delicious Lee Extra is on the stage on Hoopla Eve, with a veritable grazing table of 90s and 00s pop & RnB bangers. Consider yourself told.
Later this year, we’ll also begin our next fundraising campaign, directly supporting some of our Trans members & alumni with their respective gender-affirming care through huge fundraising evenings at Queerz Night in the early Autumn and The Two Brewers in mid-December.
Our thanks to Ollie and congratulations to everyone connected with the Titans on their awards win! Visit the club’s website to find out more.
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