UNITED ARE WASTING TIME ON PLAYGROUND INSULTS

ONCE, in a round-table discussion about racism in football, Jimmy Hill attempted to make the connection between racial abuse and the barracking the average player receives from the terraces. He said all players must put up with it, and he had to ride fans making jokes about his chin. It was swiftly pointed out that humanity does not have a blighted history based on chins, and that racial intolerance isn’t the same as a jibe about a physical feature. It now transpires Jimmy was once again ahead of his time. Manchester United have written to a section of the Old Trafford crowd after reports of abuse directed at a Wolves player — over his height. Don’t check. It isn’t April 1 yet. United truly did thank supporters for their attendance, then warn them over heightist abuse. ‘The club have been made aware that a section of the crowd at this fixture used discriminatory language directed towards a Wolves player in relation to his height,’ the reprimand read. ‘Manchester United is fully committed to ensuring that any form of discriminatory abuse and/or offensive behaviour is eliminated and appropriate action may be taken against any individuals identified as participating in discriminatory and/or offensive chanting or behaviour. ‘In the event that you should witness this type of prohibited discriminatory or offensive behaviour please ensure you report this…’ Oh, please. At West Ham they had entire songs about the size of Matt Le Tissier’s nose and he emerged relatively untraumatised. The goalkeeper of Crystal Palace’s women’s team once threatened to invoke racial protocols and walk off because a small gang of lads said she had a big bum, but this takes sensitivity to a new level. And if ‘yid’ isn’t an offensive word at a football ground these days, according to the police, are we seriously then going after fans for playground material? Still, we live in a world where Midget Gems have fallen foul of public sensibilities, and are now Mini Gems, so watch how you go, longshanks.