Former Leeds United stars condemn race hate abuse UPDATED
YEP 12/2/13
By Paul Robinson
Former Leeds United stars have joined the condemnation of Millwall fans who aimed racist abuse at Elland Road striker El-Hadji Diouf.
Brian Deane and Darren Huckerby took to Twitter after watching footage of Diouf being repeatedly taunted during United’s game at the London club’s New Den ground on November 18.
The footage was gathered by Sky Sports News as part of an investigation into racism in football. It was first broadcast on Monday night.
Leeds-born Deane wrote: “Cannot believe what I have just watched on Sky Sports News. It is worse than when I got [racially abused] as a 17-year-old.” Huckerby, meanwhile, tweeted: “Hoped those days were gone.”
Millwall have said they are “appalled” by the scenes in the Sky footage, which was filmed undercover.
A total of 56 separate incidents of racial abuse by five white men at the Championship fixture were recorded by the investigation team.
Allegations that Senegalese player Diouf had been abused came to light online directly after the match and were investigated by Millwall at the time.
Millwall chief executive Andy Ambler said yesterday: “That day against Leeds obviously there was an allegation of abuse made online initially. We investigated it straight away.
“We interviewed stewards, police, players, we looked at the TV footage too as it was live on Sky.
“After speaking to the player who had the alleged abuse at him during the day, he said that he heard no abuse on the day so that was basically at that point the end of the investigation – although we’re going to open it again now.”
Ambler added: “Clearly that behaviour is unacceptable in any football ground in the country and at Millwall we will ban the individuals for life and we hope that Sky will pass the footage to the police so that further action can be taken.”
Football League chairman Greg Clarke said something in the game may be “terribly wrong” if black players feel unable to report racist abuse.
Matches between Leeds and Millwall have previously been marred by sick chants about the murders of United supporters Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight in Turkey in 2000.
By Paul Robinson
Former Leeds United stars have joined the condemnation of Millwall fans who aimed racist abuse at Elland Road striker El-Hadji Diouf.
Brian Deane and Darren Huckerby took to Twitter after watching footage of Diouf being repeatedly taunted during United’s game at the London club’s New Den ground on November 18.
The footage was gathered by Sky Sports News as part of an investigation into racism in football. It was first broadcast on Monday night.
Leeds-born Deane wrote: “Cannot believe what I have just watched on Sky Sports News. It is worse than when I got [racially abused] as a 17-year-old.” Huckerby, meanwhile, tweeted: “Hoped those days were gone.”
Millwall have said they are “appalled” by the scenes in the Sky footage, which was filmed undercover.
A total of 56 separate incidents of racial abuse by five white men at the Championship fixture were recorded by the investigation team.
Allegations that Senegalese player Diouf had been abused came to light online directly after the match and were investigated by Millwall at the time.
Millwall chief executive Andy Ambler said yesterday: “That day against Leeds obviously there was an allegation of abuse made online initially. We investigated it straight away.
“We interviewed stewards, police, players, we looked at the TV footage too as it was live on Sky.
“After speaking to the player who had the alleged abuse at him during the day, he said that he heard no abuse on the day so that was basically at that point the end of the investigation – although we’re going to open it again now.”
Ambler added: “Clearly that behaviour is unacceptable in any football ground in the country and at Millwall we will ban the individuals for life and we hope that Sky will pass the footage to the police so that further action can be taken.”
Football League chairman Greg Clarke said something in the game may be “terribly wrong” if black players feel unable to report racist abuse.
Matches between Leeds and Millwall have previously been marred by sick chants about the murders of United supporters Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight in Turkey in 2000.
