Pink magpies swoop back into play

Gay and lesbian Collingwood supporters group the Pink Magpies will once again barrack loud and proud after a six year hiatus.

Pink Magpies chair Ian Bell said he and a small group of fellow Pies supporters decided to get the group back together after a chance meeting with Collingwood president Eddie McGuire at a training session following the team’s premiership win last year.

“I went to that training session and Eddie happened to be there,” Bell told the Star Observer. “I said ‘the Pink Magpies are thinking of reconvening’, he got it immediately and said it was fantastic.”

The GLBTI-friendly group – which will meet this week – began in 2001 by arts writer Richard Watts. The group was, and still remains, the only official gay-friendly supporters group in the AFL but went into decline in 2005 when Watts stood down from the helm.

Bell said the group intends to pick up where Watts left off.

“Essentially we’re a social group, we’re here to barrack for Collingwood,” Bell said. “We encourage any current and past Collingwood Football Club players, officials, staff, members or supporters … without prejudice and vilification.”

Bell – who came out in his 40s – said the group is a social one and discussions will focus on game day rather than the politics outside.

“We won’t be commenting on social issues, that’s not what the group’s about,” he said. “Some people in the gay community might have an issue with ‘normalising’ rather than ‘radicalising’, it’s not my problem.

“We meet as a social group, dine together, talk about Collingwood, and do what we do as Collingwood supporters, the same as any Collingwood supporters would.”

Looking to boost the Pink Magpies membership, Bell is no stranger to mobilising fellow footy supporters. As a youngster growing up in Adelaide, he and two others started the first Sturt Football Club cheer squad.

“A core of three grew to 200 within a year,” Bell said.

However, Bell came to support the club later than most. In 2002 his two children came home from a Northcote primary school, suddenly declaring their support for the Pies, thanks to the encouragement of a zealous teacher.

“They came home and said ‘we’re little magpies’,” Bell said. “I said. ‘Good on you, we’re going to be magpies too’.”

Since then, he’s been a die-hard supporter through and through.

“I think there’s a very deep sense of loyalty, commitment and a kind of comprehension of what Collingwood is, amongst Collingwood supporters, I think… the rest of the world doesn’t quite get.”

INFO: www.collingwoodfc.com.au