San Diego Loyal midfielder Collin Martin says he appreciates the solidarity shown for him by his team-mates after they walked off the pitch after a homophobic slur was allegedly directed at him.
Leading 3-1 at half-time against Phoenix Rising, Loyal walked off the pitch at the beginning of the second half, forfeiting the game after Martin said Rising’s Junior Flemmings called him a ‘batty boy’.
U.S. legend Landon Donovan, now manager of Loyal, says his players had agreed they would not continue if Flemmings was still on the pitch for the second half.
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“It was a really difficult 20 minutes because in the heat and emotion of the moment our players still wanted to play, they were kicking Phoenix's ass and that's a great feeling.