RACISM IN FOOTBALL...or anywhere!

[LozCloughSLO]

Okay, so after seeing the Sterling video posted by Rio Ferdinand yesterday and reading some of the many comments that accompanied both that and Sterling's subsequent Instagram Statement, i.e. "what bad grammar, etc.," I'd like to talk about something very close to my heart!

As a young (black) child growing up at school in the late 50's (with only one other black child who'd decided, anyway, that I was "mixed beef"; "a coconut" ('black on the outside/white on the in') and "different" to her because my mother was white and my Dad, Jamaican and therefore 'not worthy' of her friendship and where the white kids regularly told me I "ate cat food"; or was "a ******"; "a Coon"; "a Monkey" and everything else in the farmyard they could think of... but a 'duck!"

I attended job interviews in the old style glass-windowed offices where I was one of two people (the other being a white girl) applying for a job only to hear the Personnel Manager tell his colleague, "black 'uns best for the job, but you know company policy, so I can't offer it her!"

Then there was the time I moved to London and was accosted by a (very) drunken Irishman on a Tube late at night, who challenged me to help him win a bet with his mates at the pub by asking, "I'm right aren't I? You lot don't have the same red colour blood as me, do you?" Of course I assured him that 'us lot certainly do not' and he could happily collect his winnings from him mates because he'd got it "straight from the horses mouth!" He left the tube that night, gleeful at his own 'superior knowledge'!

Then there was the time where my Training Sergeant at Hendon (Metropolitan Police Training Academy) took me in to his office and told me: "See this badge? Well, I'm very very proud of this...and I have to tell you, I just don't want niggers like you, wearing it!" Or the time we were doing scenarios in the yard at the scene of an accident where he was the driver of a 'crashed vehicle'. As the 'officer in charge' I had to ask, "Did anybody see what happened?", only to be told by him, "this big black bastard with long hair came running out and I couldn't avoid him!" I later ascertained the "big black bastard with long hair" was, in fact,... a toy poodle!

Then there was the time I'd taken my (white) P.A., Debbie, to New York (as a Christmas present for all her hard work) and met up with a client: the Chairman of a huge International Company we'd previously done Investigative work for but whom I'd never actually met. In speaking with him in London prior to the trip, it was discovered we were both in N.Y. at the same time and so we arranged to meet there for dinner. At first, he went to kiss (yuck - but it WAS the 80's!) Debbie's hand and she immediately introduced me, to him. He looked visibly shocked! At dinner, he wanted to know how I 'felt' being Debbie's 'boss and did I realise how unusual I was...A black woman running a big company with a white P.A., etc.,?' His tack carried on throughout the Starter and on to the Main as Debbie and I became more and more deflated and uncomfortable by his rudeness and obvious racist, vile comments: so, for the first (and last ever) time in my life, we both went to the loo...and did a runner from the Restaurant...and him!

There are many stories I've had in my lifetime similar to this but now, with Sterling's recent and very public 'experience' I want to talk about something that affects EVERY ONE OF US IN THIS FORUM...

That is, I'm hearing reports of a Notts fan screaming from the terraces at a recent match - to one of our (black) players - that they're "going to stop his banana supply" and of another screaming that he's "a black cnut!" 

I'd just like to make it very clear and very plain, that if I see or hear any comments of this nature, whatsoever, I will have not one second of hesitation in calling a Steward or a Police Officer to report what I've heard; nor in making a written Statement direct to the club. I will also be more than willing to attend at Court and give evidence against that person, if necessary.

It's 2018. There is absolutely NO PLACE for this anywhere in our society and I truly hope that anyone else who hears anything of this nature from our terraces, will have the cojones to do exactly the same as me.

I believe that only when this is totally unacceptable to us ALL and people are ready, willing and able to come forward to report it, will there ever be any change in this totally unacceptable behaviour.

I think we're so much 'better' than this at Notts...or (at least, for the benefit of my 2/5 year old grand kids I'm bringing to matches), I certainly, HOPE we are!

Thanks for reading. Loz x

 

[Magic magpie]

I can’t agree more with @LozCloughSLO Racism has no part to play in football weather it be player to player or fan to player or vise versa ... football is about being equal not haveing to core someone down in there skin colour there is no need for it and has no place not just in football but anywhere why should the colour of someone’s skin be used against them in a hurtful or disrespectful way .. it shouldn’t that simple action is required now.

[liampie]

there is no place for any nonsense in the modern game.

all this stuff about the lgbt awareness in football is a joke, people being narrow minded, cruel and evil its just not on. the same for racism, one of my friends is black and he does not care if you call him it [i dont] he says its how people treats him. i think the worlds a better place for being more supportive and the cruler people tend to be more vocal sadly.

[DangerousSausage]

Great post! I'm not Raheem Sterling's biggest fan but the way he has been singled out by the press is disgraceful. It's hard to believe he'd have been given the same treatment if he were white.

[cheeky~k8]

It has no place in football or life in general, we all have to live together so we have to accept each other for who we are. Not everyone gets on but racism isn't on either way.

Sadly alot of people nowadays and in the past find anything they think is different about someone and pick at it. It needs to stop.

[Chris]

It makes me feel very sad when I hear silly comments, you would be surprised to learn about some of the discrimination I have faced for being someone with an invisible disability. I have had some Notts fans tell me to kill myself, even threatening that they would do it - all over PON and the fact that I decided to do something positive with my life. Some of these fans are well known to likes of people.

Racism, hate, discrimination, sexism and being anti-gay is nonsense.

Treat people for who they're and not for other reasons.

I think racism isn't something that is tackled very well especially in football, but then I go back to the other similar issues and feel what if we could make that difference. I don't see colour, creed, poor, wealthy - I see people. I might be in a minority but I would never hate on anyone.

[TheSkipper]

I wonder why people in this day and age can't learn from history, instead they repeat it and only things on the service change. Not the root of the issue, not the separation or division. I think racism is a problem, in the Premier League and Championship it seems something fans joke about with their friends especially people of my age but it's not acceptable.

I have heard some stuff at Notts and it can be directed at our own players.

Damian Stewart used to be racially abused a lot by a fan near to where I sit, the stewards just laughed and watched the game. That's not going to resolve it!

[super_pie]

There's no room in life for racism and especially in football, it's just wrong.

[Dan]

I just don’t get it. Where in the rule book does it state that white faces are top of the tree & everyone else don’t matter. 

What right do I or any other white person have to call someone a black whatever. Just because a person has got a black face does that make them any less of a human being? I know some fantastic black people. I also know a lot of ‘white cnuts’ who wouldn’t be fit enough to lick a black persons shoe clean. 

Its what’s inside that matters. I really don’t care what colour your skin is, it’s irrelevant to me. I care how you treat people, I care how you treat me. If I don’t like the way you treat me or others then you’ll get told about it. I told a racist to shut up a few years ago at Luton of all places when he shouted something to Enoch Showunmi. He told me to **** off, the steward next to him was a kid & clearly didn’t know what to do so I took this guys photo & told him I was going to report him. He never said another word. And I’d do it again no matter who it is. 

I really hope that dickhead Chelsea fan gets a good kicking for what he shouted at Sterling & I hope it’s a group of white lads who do it. 

[Who r ya?? You Pies!!]

What a powerful thread , so proud to be on PoN firstly , such a topic , so sad horrible to hear of such negative and hurtful experiences in life , there is no place in in society for such hatred , it’s never humour either . 

My own family experience of this is something that still angers me and so disappoints me too . I had a huge fallout with my brother during the Paul Ince managerial time , to cut a very long story short after a particular game we were chatting on the phone as we often did , the anger in his voice was plain and he came out with a horrible comment calling Paul a black b , I was shocked and pulled him up on it , apparently I was out of touch with the feeling  ‘ on the  kop ‘ we had harsh words and there is much more to this experience I could add but I think I have put enough to get the point across. 

The sad part is also his hypocrisy as my children are black and just couldn’t/wouldn’t see it being hurtful to us as a family that one of our own could be like that while sharing our family times but being like that . 

We haven’t spoken since , he still attends as a season ticket holder and I only go now and then and make sure I don’t have contact , we would always go together home and to many away games over the years prior . 

When this topic raises its incredible ugly head which sadly it will it brings it all flooding back , and to be honest makes me angry and so very very sad and particularly ashamed of someone I used to love as a brother. 

[BigBill]

As one of few black fans I see around Meadow Lane I have witnessed and seen some shocking behaviour.

In the 70s and 80s it was hard to support Notts without someone calling me names due to my skin colour, I would say times have changed and instead of it being widely accepted it's just a minority now. Racism is expressed by small minded people who just speak hate, those that think it's funny must not have a sense of humour. Treat people how you would want to be treated.

Judge nobody differently I say.

[NottsTastic]

I call it ignorance with all the people that can't show care or understanding, I have no time for them and in todays world nobody should abuse someone over their colour. It's something I am glad Kick Out focus on because I am sure it happens a lot more than what the media would have you believe, the issue the footballer had by his home fans in Russia actually upset me.

It's horrible.

[lambleypie]

There's no room in the world for racism, people should by now understand how to get along and my mother always used to say to me "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

Idiots do exist still but there's plenty of people who would try to bring change.

[samwatto2008]

I don't get it. I always cringe when you hear working class blokes joke about racism but I just don't understand how you can judge someone from the colour of their skin or how they look. Views on immigration are different from racism but it's sometimes hard for people to not cross the line. With current society though it's hard not to offend anyone with what you say. But there is absolutely no room for it anywhere it society nowadays. Never mind football.

[Truefootballfan]

What a sad world we live in ! 

[BigBill]

On 12/12/2018 at 12:43, samwatto2008 said:

I don't get it. I always cringe when you hear working class blokes joke about racism but I just don't understand how you can judge someone from the colour of their skin or how they look. Views on immigration are different from racism but it's sometimes hard for people to not cross the line. With current society though it's hard not to offend anyone with what you say. But there is absolutely no room for it anywhere it society nowadays. Never mind football.

You will find there are a lot of angry, jealous people and THEY spout the nonsense.

Nobody with common sense would judge someone over their colour or anything else, it's improved but people tend to be more offensive than racist in my opinion. There is a fine line with someone calling me "someone of colour" rather than just saying I am black. Neither I consider to be racist but it does when it becomes a matter of them feeling they're better solely due to my skin.

[CliftonMagpie]

I don't like it, racism is pointless and nobodies better than anyone.

Everyone is good at something and people are special in their own way, I don't mind anyone provided they're friendly. Treat me as I treat you. Football does need to start giving bans to people who are abusive because they only spread hate or negativity.

[cheeky~k8]

23 hours ago, CliftonMagpie said:

I don't like it, racism is pointless and nobodies better than anyone.

Everyone is good at something and people are special in their own way, I don't mind anyone provided they're friendly. Treat me as I treat you. Football does need to start giving bans to people who are abusive because they only spread hate or negativity.

Part of the problem is people copy and say things just to be popular or fit in aswell as just being mean. It all spreads and then bullying starts and the person who is on the wrong end of it feels even worse and it all gets way too personal towards the person.

[B&Wstripes]

It's just hate or foolishness isn't it?

Young people think its a joke without harm and I am not suggesting this is okay, but a quick laugh for them and without little thought. You can almost see their ignorance but full on racism needs to be tackled too. There's a lot made of it happening in football and sometimes I wonder why the media ignores other incidents, the point I am trying to make is you can't ignore any times. 

[cheeky~k8]

You need to tackle all of the times to get a proper result and i know they don't always have the resources but alit of the time they just don't want to deal with it.

[Wilfordpie]

It's good to see people talking opening about this difficult subject, seeing and reading @LozCloughSLO and @BigBill it makes me sad. As an older PON member I have always felt repulsed by racism. I have seen a lot of it over the years but I am pleased change has been made, this is a start but this discussion is a reminder that more can be done.

Thanks for sharing opening your thoughts Loz and Big Bill.

[BromPie]

There's no room for any of this, if people don't understand we are all the same them they need to wake up. In football or in life, racism is just a nasty hate crime speeaded by simpletons.