Sheffield Steelers working with Stonewall after match-night announcer's controversial remarks

People took to social media to blast Simms for being homophobic after his remarks during Saturday night’s 4-1 defeat to Coventry Blaze, a result which effectively ended the club’s challenge for a sixth Elite League title.

It was Simms’s comments during the regular match-night ‘kiss-cam’ on the in-house live TV screens that prompted heated discussion on social media, in particular Twitter.

A regular part of the match night entertainment, the ‘kiss-cam’ routine was encouraging couples in the crowd to kiss each other, the best kiss being rewarded with two free tickets to Sunday afternoon’’s Challenge Cup Final in Wales, which the Steelers subsequently lost 3-2 to the Cardiff Devils.

As the camera moved through the crowd, two men kissed each other on screen prompting Simms to jokingly bellow “disgusting” over the PA before going on to make a light-hearted plea for security to “escort them from the building.”

Numerous people - many from the LGBT community - subsequently lambasted Simms on Twitter and other social media platforms, forcing the announcer to apologise several times over the weekend via his own Twitter account.

Speaking on Monday morning, Simms, who helped launch the club back in 1991, added: “I really and truly meant no offence with what I said. I haven’t got a homophobic bone in my body.”

The club issued an initial apology later that same day, but there was no let-up in the criticism with complaints about the language used by Simms continuing to flood in from all over the world, with many people calling for him to be sacked by the club.

Although the club have stopped short of relieving Simms of his duties, a second, longer statement was released on Wednesday afternoon in which Steelers’ owner Tony Smith labelled Simms’s match-night remarks as “foolish and thoughtless.”

“I have spoken to David at length and he is very sorry for all the hurt and upset he has caused to the LGBT community,” said Smith, who is also chairman of the Elite League.

“His actions on Saturday night were foolish and thoughtless and I must stress they do not reflect the attitude or policy of the Sheffield Steelers towards the LGBT community.

“We are a family and welcome each and everyone to the Steelers games without exception and hope this regrettable incident brings the Steelers and the LGBT community closer together in the future.”

Smith said the club had taken advice from Sheffield City Councillor Neale Gibson, a member of LGBT Sheffield and who was first made aware of the incident via his own Twitter account prompting him to call for people to contact him if they had any complaints.

Smith said the club had taken advice from Cllr Gibson, adding he had also been in touch with Stonewall to discuss an LGBT programme that the Steelers could become involved in.

“Stonewall’s policy and motto ‘acceptance without exception’ is one the Steelers have always tried to follow,” added Smith. “The Steelers wish to place on record their sincere apology to anyone who was upset by David’s comments and as an organisation we in no way condone them.”