A row about homophobia in football has been sparked after a controversial comment left on a semi-professional player’s social networking site.

Bosses at Oxford City FC are meeting urgently to discuss the issue, after the comment appeared on striker Lee Steele’s Twitter account.

The post, about openly-gay Welsh Rugby star and Celebrity Big Brother contestant Gareth Thomas, read: “I wouldn’t fancy the bed next to Gareth Thomas #padlock my a**e”.

It had been deleted by 1pm yesterday. Mr Thomas came out as gay two years ago, and was one of 13 housemates to join the Channel 5 reality show, which launched on Thursday.

Two years ago he reportedly said in an interview with the Daily Mail: “Just because you are gay, it doesn’t mean you fancy every man who walks the planet.”

There are believed to be no openly-gay professional footballers in England.

Only one British professional footballer, Justin Fashanu, has ever publicly admitted being gay. He committed suicide in 1998.

Oxford City’s chairman Brian Cox said: “If this remark has been n Continued on Page 2 made by Lee, the club certainly distances itself from it. “We are looking into it and the board will meet as soon as possible to discuss it further.”

Mr Steele also played for Oxford United between 2002 and 2004.

He also later played for Leyton Orient and scored the final goal against United which sealed their relegation to the Conference, in 2006.

Football fans last night roundly condemned the remarks. Oxford United fan and sports writer George Dugdale is from Horspath but studies in Cardiff, where rugby star Mr Thomas played at the time he came out.

Mr Dugdale said the remarks showed why it was so difficult for sportsmen and women to come out as gay.

He said: “When Lee Steele played for United he got a lot of stick from fans but having met him I always thought he seemed like a decent and intelligent bloke, a real family man.

“Its disappointing seeing this after I stuck up for him. “I think seeing comments like this would make it much more difficult for young people, and other sports people, to come out.”

On Twitter Neil Smythe, former producer of Sky’s Soccer Am show said: “And they wonder why more pro sportsmen don’t come out?” Oxford Pride chairman Cheryl Briggs said she was also angry about the remarks.

She said: “It enforces the stereotype that all gay men are predators and will just go after anybody. “It’s just ignorance. ”If the remarks were made in the street, it would be treated as an illegal offence.”

The Football Association, which has the power to fine clubs and players for bringing the game into disrepute, said it could give no official comment.

It is believed the case has been handed to the FA’s governance team which deals with investigations into homophobic remarks made by players. Thames Valley Police spokesman

Adam Fisher said no complaint had been made. Mike Ford, manager of the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division club, declined to comment.

The Oxford Mail tried unsuccessfully to contact Mr Steele, who previously played for Oxford United and Brighton and Hove Albion, last night.

Mr Steele is expected to play in City’s match against Chippenham Town today. In November Crawley Town midfielder Hope Akpan was fined by the FA £1,200 for homophobic remarks made on his Twitter account. He accepted a charge of “acting in a manner which was improper and/or brought the game into disrepute". Mr Akpan said his account had been hacked by a younger family member as a prank.