England’s ‘Barmy Army’ sing YMCA, It’s Raining Men and A Little Respect at Shannon Gabriel

England’s travelling supporters in the Caribbean had the perfect riposte for West Indies fast bowler Shannon Gabriel after he allegedly aimed a homophobic slur at Joe Root during the third Test.

Gabriel reportedly called Root a ‘b**** boy’ in a confrontation with the England captain when he was batting on Monday, although a West Indies source told Sportsmail that he said ‘little boy’.

As Gabriel came out to bat on Wednesday, the England fans – known as ‘The Barmy Army’ – sang ‘YMCA’ by The Village People.

England’s Barmy Army sang gay anthems when Shannon Gabriel went out to bat on Tuesday

Fast bowler Gabriel has allegedly aimed a homophobic slur at England captain Root 

Sky Sports footage of the incident showed Root telling Gabriel: ‘Don’t use that as an insult’

The 1978 song is a gay anthem and The Barmy Army did not stop there in delivering their thoughts on the alleged incident.

They went on to sing a number of other songs associated with gay culture, such as ‘It’s Raining Men’ by The Weather Girls, ‘Gimme Gimme Gimme (a man after midnight) by Abba and ‘A Little Respect’ by Erasure.

The song choices were noted by a number of reporters on social media who were at the Test match.

Gabriel, 30, has since been charged by the ICC with a breach of their code of conduct for alleged homophobic abuse. He could be banned for two matches.

Root has earned widespread praise for responding to Gabriel by saying: ‘Don’t use that as an insult. There is nothing wrong with being gay.’

Root himself has not publicly stated what Gabriel said to him and after the end of the third Test – which England won by 232 runs – he said he did not want to incident to overshadow the series.

The Barmy Army’s song choice in the Caribbean did not go unnoticed on social media 

The travelling England supporters sang a number of songs that are gay anthems 

West Indies fast bowler Gabriel was involved in a verbal exchange with Root on day three

Root shakes hands with Gabriel at the end of the third Test against West Indies

Root said: ‘The ICC have got to handle things and I am not in a position to comment but throughout the series it has been played in the right manner between the two sides. 

‘West Indies have played some fantastic cricket, they are a good bunch of guys and it would be a shame if it tarnishes what has been a good, hard-fought series.

‘As a player you feel you have responsibilities to uphold on the field and I stand by what I did. I just did what I thought was right.’