Reading striker Jason Roberts will boycott the weekend anti-racist ‘Kick it Out’ campaign.
The annual back-slapping event has been shown up to be toothless over the last year with several high profile incidents highlighting the fact that racism is still alive in English football.
Speaking to BBC radio today Roberts said: “I won’t wear one. I find it hard to wear a t-shirt after what happened last year.
“I’m totally committed to kicking racism out of football but when there’s a movement I feel represents the issue in the way that speaks for me and my colleagues, then I will happily support it.
“I think people feel let down by what used to be called “Let’s Kick Racism Out of Football”.
Roberts also said that Terry’s apology has come ‘a year too late’ and the FA punishment was too lenient.
“The four-match ban was, for me, not a heavy enough sanction for what happened. I’m not happy. Certainly they should have given him a longer ban. The sanction is nowhere near harsh enough.”
Roberts has been calling for tougher action on racism from the football authorities for a number of years and gave his wholehearted backing to Danny Rose after the midweek incidents at the Serbia v England u-21 international.
The Reading striker tweeted: “DRose, well done! I propose next time everyone walks STRAIGHT OFF THE PITCH!!! Then we will see how quickly “authorities” take to sort it…”
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Fair play to Jason (good Tim that he is) for taking this stance. There’s no excusing the continuing appaling behaviour some of the fans in Serbia. It’s like 4 stands full of Alf Garnett and Nick Griffin! What century are these people living in.
Whilst I state clearly that the stuff from the stand was completely unacceptable does anyone else think that this is also being used as an excuse to condone the childish and petulant behaviour of certain England players and coaching staff?
The English media (including the major TV news shows and of course Sly Spurts) are portraying the English representatives as some sort of innocent lambs in the whole sordid incident, when the pictures sre there for all to see.
I can certainly understand Danny Rose and others who may have suffered racial abuse getting upset and angry but they are meant to be representing their country and not stooping to the level of the knuckledraggers dishing out the sh*t in the 1st place.
Can u imagine the furore if Neil Lennon and the Celtic players behaved in a similar fashion at the home of Zombie FC after taking abuse for 90 mins? You would never hear the end of it (the behaviour that is, not the abuse)?
Couldn’t agree more with Jason.
Actually I agree in principle too. But while I am all in favour of this drive, I also know that while scumbags like Terry get away with it in court, he actually gets to admit it with the FA and go almost unpunished. But with all due respect to most blacks and other ethnics I know, the blacks are the most racist people om earth. While I respect thos guys stance, it isn’t helping one bit.
couldn’t believe the english FA acting so appalled by the serbia game the other night. Maybe they should be appalled at the ‘punishment’ they gave that loser John terry. Think they really need to get their own house in order before they start pretending to ‘kick it out’.
Let’s have some clear guidelines, racism by players should be an automatic 12 match ban at least WITH the options to increase the ban depending on circumstances, for example no apology means another 4 games, and add to that a % of wage fine.
Well said Jason. Good Celtic man as well. His best pal when growing up was a Celtic supporter.
We are all jock tamsons bairns, all sectarianism,racism and bigotry is a disgrace!
What I mean is when the woman at the Child support agency asked who my dad was? He said jock tamson
Joe,
“The blacks are the most racist people on Earth”.
Bit of a generalisation there surely? Do you not see the irony of what you just wrote?
Sure, it’s not just a caucasian problem or invention and there are bigoted scumbags from all races and creeds. Can’t we please just leave it at that rather than trying to say who is worse?
I hate to nitpick with you as I love this site but I hate sweeping generalisations.