Sky Sports' Johnny Phillips: It’s so crucial racism makes us all see red

The call to arms held at Unite The Union’s central London headquarters this week was attended by a number of leading figures in the fight against racism, including Paul Canoville, the first black player to play for Chelsea.

Speaking to Canoville’s former team-mate Pat Nevin, it is clear that he believes progress is being made.

“Sometimes you think we’re making some headway, and we are, casual racism was everywhere in the 80s and I remember the booing at games,” he explains.

“But I never thought it was football’s problem, people were using football and they are still using it now. The keyboard warriors, the knuckle-draggers, they don’t care about football, they are using it. I always felt that was the case even back in the darkest days.

“When you talked about it you knew the silent majority weren’t like that, but you heard the noisy minority. So it’s up to us to continue to battle racism however small their noise is. They bring their noise, and we’ll bring ours.”

SRTRC are encouraging everybody to wear red as part of a day of action (October 18) across the United Kingdom, hoping that children and adults will arrive at school or their place of work wearing an item of red clothing.

Former Birmingham City and Villa manager Alex McLeish was another of those in attendance, who believes that sort of abuse directed at players like Tammy Abraham, Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford on social media in recent weeks is being confronted on the same platforms.

“The awareness being raised whenever an incident happens shows that if people keep this up we are coming for them,” he says. “Nowadays it is not just getting reported on the back of a newspaper, it’s all over the internet.

“It’s absolutely amazing the coverage this gets and the call-out of people, being exposed for what they are. We have seen other causes such as the ‘Me Too’ movement so there is a power amongst people through social media that cannot be stopped.”

Chris Hughton, one of very few BAME coaches to have managed in the Premier League, is another long time supporter of SRTRC.

“The things we’ve seen over the last couple of weeks sets the game back but I think there is an enthusiasm for things to change, and a percentage of the supporters are more conscious of this,” he says.

“I think if they see it they are more prepared to make the authorities aware of it. The clubs are working hard, but what we have witnessed in the last couple of weeks on social media and the chanting from the terraces directed at Romelu Lukaku in Italy is a big problem.

“As in society, it is about education and there is still a long way to go. There always going to be those who rear their ugly heads and going forward it is about education.”

One of the topics of discussion concerned the direction players should take in response to racist abuse. Some believe that, when it occurs in stadia, players should leave the field. Others suggest there are other ways to make a stand. “I think there is a better support network for them now than there was in our day.

“When there are four or five black players playing in a team then you are not singled out as much. That doesn’t take away from the fact that it is wrong and how that individual feels. Should a player walk off? I think that is very much down to the individual.

“There are two ways you can look at it; firstly you could say, ‘You’re not going to get the better of me, I’m going to show you’ or you could say ‘I’m not having this’ and walk off the pitch. My stance would be that second one. The punishments at the moment are often just a fine and they can appear minimal.

“If a player walks off it is his way of saying, ‘This is the only way you are going to make those people accountable.’ Accountable with something that matters, not just paltry fines that don’t mean anything.”

Where SRTRC has been particularly effective is in its approach to education. With the help of footballers past and present, the organisation has reached over 50,000 school pupils at its workshops since forming in 1996. Nevin, McLeish and Hughton have been long-time supporters but there are many others from the professional game who are backing the campaign. Successive governments have cut SRTRC’s funding, meaning it is ever more reliant on the help of volunteers and donations from the public. As part of the Wear Red Day, football supporters are being encouraged to get on board with the campaign.

You can add your support by texting ‘RED’ to 70470 to donate just £1 to help the fight against racism.