PLAYER POWER

THOMAS BLOW SALUTES THE FOOTBALLERS TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE...

- THOMAS BLOW

WHEN the Premier League resumed in June with players taking the knee, English football changed forever.

Their stance against racism, particularly the abuse many players consistently receive, helped thousands finally acknowledge the injustice. And now, as fans begin to appear from Covid’s shadow, the importance of the gesture has never been greater.

Attitudes among fans need to change. Virtually from its inception, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) footballers have been abused on social media. These hate crimes are, on occasion, punished, but the fact they are still happening more than a decade on suggests they are treated leniently by the likes of Twitter and Instagram, as well as the authorities.

And in recent months, we have heard returning fans at Colchester, Cambridge and, most prominently, Millwall booing the taking of the knee.