Racism is still issue in game, says Robinson
BURTON Albion chairman Ben Robinson says the controversial comments made by FA chairman Greg Clarke this week show there is still “institutional racism” in English football.
Clarke resigned on Tuesday after using “unacceptable” language to describe black players while talking to a panel of MPS on the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee.
He used the outdated and offensive term “coloured” and also said there were “a lot more South Asians than there are Afro-caribbeans” in the FA’S IT department because “they have different career interests”.
Robinson, who is of black descent, has written a column in The Telegraph to say how he believes football needs to do more to achieve racial equality.
“I have known Greg Clarke for many years as an honest guy who always cared passionately about the grass-roots game and he’s clearly made a mistake,” said Robinson.
“The words he used were not right and he has done the honourable thing by falling on his sword, so he’s not being a distraction to the FA’S plans to tackle diversity.
“I have experienced racial prejudice, particularly in the early part of my life, both in the workplace and on a personal level. It is not pleasant and it frustrates and annoys you.
“When Burton Albion were in the Championship, there was one time where I walked into the boardroom
at an away game and the chairman of their club went straight past me to shake the hand of one of our directors.
“He made no attempt to really engage with me.
“When I was younger and living in Nottingham, I remember not getting a job and feeling convinced it was because of my skin colour.
“I’ve obviously got over that now but it is something that stuck with me.
“Even today, there is a feeling that underlying institutional racism remains within football, with an element of bias to it.
“As a result, we’ve clearly seen that it’s harder for a BAME candidate to get to the top.
“The issue lies with providing the framework for BAME people or with backgrounds to have a greater opportunity to progress their careers, aside from being a player.
“Players are the only ones doing it now and are much more vocal, as you’ve seen with Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings, who spoke brilliantly and powerfully about the subject on Tuesday.
“We need to see a mentorship scheme introduced to help BAME individuals to get to the positions of being able to apply and then be interviewed for jobs, representing far more responsibility than we are currently seeing.
“If you look at education and the curriculum in schools, there is a big gap dealing with black history.
“The contribution that black people have made in history with inventions and their achievements are not widely known to kids at an early age.
“I do feel some progress has been made, but if we don’t see these changes we will just continue with the status quo and nothing will change.
“The process does now need to be sped up so we see that all the discussions, plans and thoughts gain some real results.”
Clarke also came under fire during the committee meeting for describing being gay as a “life choice” and saying he had spoken to a women’s coach who said girls did not like the ball hit at them hard.