SACKED SAINTS CHIEF WAS CLEARED OF RACE CLAIMS

THE Southampton technical director, sacked this week because of the team’s poor results, has been investigated for allegations he racially abused a youth coach. The FA declined to comment last night on whether it has also been investigating claims against Martin Hunter, made by former Under 18s coach Paul Williams. It is understood that Southampton launched an investigation a year ago into allegations by Williams that Hunter subjected him to verbal abuse, but did not find evidence to support them. Williams, 47, a long-serving player with Derby, Coventry and Southampton, was sacked along with coach Jason Dodd in unusual circumstances by Southampton four years ago.

Sportsmail revealed at the time that the pair were told that they did not spend enough time with the Under 16 squad and their relationship with Hunter — then a coach at the club — was ‘not healthy’. It is thought that Williams, now a scout at West Brom, felt fearful about coming forward with his complaint of racial discrimination. Last year, his family persuaded him to do so. He made the complaint through then vice-chairman Les Reed, who passed it to Southampton’s legal team for consideration. The club investigated, rejected the complaint and informed the FA of their findings. The allegation dates to around the time of Williams’s dismissal. Reed was sacked earlier this week and Southampton said the reason for Hunter’s and Reed’s exit was performancebased and not related to the investigation. They indicated last night that Williams’s dismissal had been part of a shake-up of the Saints youth system. Hunter could not be reached last night. Reed and Williams did not respond to requests for comment.