I have requested the e-mail address of the football club's chairman, and I am thinking about sending in an e-mail to the press office of Kick it Out. I have put a call into my estate agent and told them to advise the prospective buyers of the problem, and my solicitor is calling me back with her advice. After the traumatic last couple of weeks I have endured, I really don't need this BUT if I feel I am duty bound to play my part in this. The more I think about what he had done, the more I feel I should make people know what this man is. An out and out racist.
From the Kick it Out website!
Report racists – if you receive racist abuse, or see or hear someone making racist comments or gestures, you should report it – to a steward or the police; to a teacher or coach; to the club if you are a fan; or to the local authority if it occurs on your local council pitch.
Racist abuse at football matches is against the law, so the police and stewards should take action. Referees should act if the abuse comes from players, and your league or county FA should look into the matter. Make note of the incident and let Kick It Out know what’s happened too.
The KIO hotline number is 0800 169 9414.
Find out more – there’s lots of information around about racism in football and the history of black footballers. Perhaps you could write an article for your school magazine, suggest a project to your history or citizenship teacher, or even create a play about the experiences of some black players.
You could find out about black players from your local area, and learn what their experiences were like, even those who didn’t make it to the top. Who knows, you may uncover a forgotten star!
Perhaps it could be an ICT project – there’s lots you can uncover using the internet.
For example, www.blackpresence.co.uk/ contains lots of information about Arthur Wharton and Walter Tull, two of the earliest black players.
Why not visit your local club and check out what it is doing to tackle racism. You could even make a few suggestions? 