Albion’s former skipper Bruno gave out advice on how to tackle homophobia in sport on a visit to

Brighton College.

Bruno and former first team player Andrew Crofts, now the club’s under-23 player-coach, lent their support as Premier League Seagulls backed the latest initiative at the independent school to tackle the issue in sport.

Speaking to a group of the school’s players across various sports, Bruno was asked on what to do if they received homophobic abuse on the field.

“I was a captain for several years – and I say, speak to the captain, and they will speak to the referee,” he said.

“You as a player have to try to keep playing and keep your focus.”

The issue resonates powerfully in a city whose vibrant LGBT+ presence has meant Albion fans facing years of homophobic taunting by rivals.

Brighton College’s stand centres on a collaboration with campaigning LGBT+ rights charity Stonewall.

Following the school adopting the charity’s rainbow laces initiatives across several of its teams, the first XI boys’ football team wore shirts baring ‘Stonewall Champion’ in 2018-19.

From now on, all the first teams in the school’s major sports will wear the ‘Supporting Stonewall’ logo.

Crofts said: “Some people might think it’s alright to say things – but it’s wrong.

“We need to speak up about it, not let it go. It’s a great thing for the school to be doing and it’s a real positive thing to be doing for society as well.”

Steve Marshall-Taylor, head of Senior School at Brighton College, said: “Each year, some of our teams are confronted by homophobic comments or taunts, simply because we are a ‘Brighton’ team.

“We are keen to bring this out into the open, and encourage conversations with the staff and pupils with whom we will be competing on the school sports circuit this year.”

“We feel proud to wear the Stonewall logo,” one of the 1st XI boys’ footballers says, tapping into the school’s long-standing engagement with LGBT+ issues which saw Brighton College become the first independent school to have an openly ‘out’ head boy, and the only one to regularly take part in a Pride parade.

Pupils also asked Bruno, now Albion’s senior development coach after retiring after last season, the toughest player he had ever marked.

The ex-Valencia defender said: “Messi. When we played Barcelona and my boss said I had to mark him, I said ‘Thank you…’. That was a long game!”