Gay footballers, homophobia and the Amex football ground TONIGHT

In a BBC3 TV documentary tonight, Amal Fashanu asked: why aren't there any openly gay footballers in Britain? In the course of her quest, she visited Brighton and Hove Albion's Amex stadium, and encountered homophobia on the terraces.

There are currently around 5000 professional footballers in Britain, the programme makers estimate. But not a single one of them has come out publicly as gay. Homosexuality, it seems, is the national game's last great taboo.

Amal Fashanu has a close personal connection to the issue – she is the niece of Justin Fashanu, the only ever openly gay British professional, and the programme shows her efforts to discover why no gay player has followed in her uncle's boots in over 20 years. Tragically, Justin committed suicide eight years after he came out.

One of the first places she visited was Brighton and Hove Albion's Amex stadium, where she experienced a homophobic atmosphere for herself. Witnessing the typical chants – "We Can See You Holding Hands!" and "Does Your Boyfriend Know You Are Here?" – from visiting fans on the terraces at Brighton, she soon saw why gay players will not put their heads above the parapet.

The documentary is a long-overdue look at the football's homophobia, and during the programme Amal talks to Matt Lucas, Max Clifford, Millwall players, Joey Barton and her father, John Barnes, who was also an acclaimed professional footballer. As well as revealing the real attitudes of the football business, it turns out to be a painful experience for her on a personal level.

Well worth seeing for two reasons: firstly, for its close look at subject that's hardly ever aired in this country, and secondly, for its portrait of Justin Fashanu, his talent, and his tragic end.

Britain's Gay Footballers : Monday 30th January 2011, 9pm, BBC Three