Tuesday’s briefing: Coote comes out as gay and Walker unveiled at AC Milan | OneFootball

Shamed former Premier League referee David Coote has come out as gay and revealed that a lifelong struggle to hide his sexuality contributed to the X-rated rant that saw him dismissed from his post last year.

AC Milan unveiled Kyle Walker following his arrival from Manchester City and the England defender wasted no time stating his desire to add to his trophy collection at San Siro.

Burnley met Leeds in a top-of-the-table Sky Bet Championship clash and it was a day of drama in Scotland’s Premiership.

Former referee David Coote comes out as gay

Shamed former Premier League referee David Coote has revealed that a lifelong struggle to hide his sexuality contributed to the X-rated rant that saw him dismissed from his post last year.

Coote was initially suspended last October after footage emerged of him mocking ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp in a video that was widely shared on social media.

In an interview with The Sun, Coote said: “My sexuality isn’t the only reason that led me to be in that position. But I’m not telling an authentic story if I don’t say that I’m gay, and that I’ve had real struggles with hiding that.

“I hid my emotions as a young ref and I hid my sexuality as well — a good quality as a referee but a terrible quality as a human being. And that’s led me to a whole course of behaviours.”

Kyle Walker hungry to win trophies at AC Milan

Kyle Walker said his new club AC Milan presents the perfect challenge.

Walker was unveiled as a Milan player on Monday having joined on loan from Manchester City for the rest of the season.

Walker said: “I could have stayed in Manchester, I still had a contract there. But I think it comes down to challenges in life.

“I’m so hungry, I still have the fire in my belly to go and achieve things… I don’t want to just win things in one country, I want to come to another country and also win there as well.”

Top two share spoils at Turf Moor

Burnley and Leeds played out a drab draw as the Championship promotion hopefuls disappointed in front of the Sky cameras.

Neither side had so much as a shot on target until James Trafford palmed over Dan James’ 88th-minute effort.

The draw takes Leeds two points clear of Sheffield United at the top of the table, while Burnley remain third, a point shy of the Blades.

Second Celtic helpings for Jota

Celtic have re-signed Jota on a five-and-a-half-year contract after the Portuguese winger swapped places with Kyogo Furuhashi.

The 25-year-old completed his move from Rennes 18 months after leaving Parkhead in a reported £25million move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad.

Furuhashi departed after scoring 85 goals for Celtic following his arrival in the summer of 2021.

Jota told Celtic TV: “It’s very nostalgic for me because it was such an amazing feeling and all the moments that I felt through my two seasons here, and I’m just delighted to be back.”

All not Well as boss quits after fan abuse ‘forces family away from matches’

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell quit after abuse from a section of fans forced his family away from matches.

Some fans had turned against Kettlewell with Motherwell sitting fifth in the William Hill Premiership – three successive defeats raising the temperature dial at Fir Park.

A Motherwell statement added: “Stuart approached chief executive Brian Caldwell on Monday morning to explain why he wished to resign. Stuart explained that some of the personal abuse was now affecting his family, to the point where they didn’t wish to attend games.”

Former Ross County boss Kettlewell had been in charge of Motherwell since February 2023.

What’s on today?

There is a busy night of English Football League action across the Championship, League One and League Two.

Portsmouth are only above the Championship relegation zone on goal difference and host Millwall at Fratton Park.

There is a full programme in League One with leaders Birmingham visiting fourth-placed Huddersfield, and the Blues’ closest challengers Wycombe and Wrexham at home to Barnsley and Stevenage respectively.