Marseille coach Elie Baup says Joey Barton remains a key member of his squad despite the midfielder having angered club chiefs by labelling Paris St Germain defender Thiago Silva an “overweight ladyboy” in an online tirade.

Joey Barton was gagged by Marseille last night after angering club chiefs by labelling Paris St Germain defender Thiago Silva an “overweight ladyboy” in an online tirade.

MORE than one in four British professional soccer players, coaches and referees polled in an online survey personally know gay footballers currently in the game.

An amateur club of gay footballers in Paris said today its members were victims of homophobia when a team of Muslim players refused to play them.