sport news Female football fans hit back at ITV pundit Eni Aluko after her incredible ... trends now
Female football fans have hit back at Eni Aluko after her shock claim that UK stadiums were 'not safe for women'.
The ITV pundit made the comments on Wednesday and said it was not safe 'physically' for female supporters who travelled to stadiums nor online and suggested the next generation of women may be deterred from getting involved in the game as a result.
Aluko has been in the headlines over the last few months after receiving a torrent of abuse from Joey Barton, who targeted her with vile sexist comments - claiming that she and fellow broadcaster Lucy Ward were the 'Fred and Rose West of football commentary'.
Barton also bizarrely alleged that Aluko and her family used 'dodgy money' to pay for a lavish lifestyle - with the pundit later admitting she was 'genuinely scared' for her safety before confirming she had taken legal action against him.
Aluko then savaged social media firms for allowing trolls to 'vomit their hatred unchecked' online and she was vocal again this week after making the surprising claim about stadiums.
Eni Aluko shared her view that men's football in this country is not a safe space for women
Female football fans have hit back at her comments. Pictured: Two woman supporting Arsenal during an away day at Aston Villa
But female fans have taken issue with her comments with many stressing they have never felt unsafe in a football ground - as they hit out at her 'damaging' comments.
'Aluko does not speak for me or my family of women who have attended games for decades. I've been home, away and euro away days and NEVER felt unsafe,' one supporter said. 'As if we don't get accused enough about not knowing the sport a lot of us women love. Now we have this idiot making us look worse.'
Another wrote: 'I've had some of the most magical and memorable experiences in football stadiums watching men's football. I appreciate everyone's experience is different and things could be better but trust me, these views are not shared by all female football fans, including myself.
One added: 'Not once have I ever felt unsafe at a football match just because I'm a woman. Outnumbered? Yeah of course but never felt out of place, since the age of five I've been brought up at the match so never ever have I felt unsafe. Not saying that's the same for everyone...'
A fourth fan said: 'I am in no way discrediting the experience of other women, and I feel for anyone who agrees with this statement. But as a woman who has been attending football matches, home, away and in Europe, since the early 2000's, such a blanket statement is quite frankly damaging.'
Aluko's initial comments turned heads when
