With racism being the topic of football at the moment I thought I would share my views and opinions on it. Racism still exists in society so with that fact it is going to be hard to stop it in football.

Racism in football is a subject that shouldn’t really divide opinions but it always has and continues to. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, so I will use this time and space to view and share mine.

Football has always being a sport that entitles people to their opinion whether it is on the terraces, the dugout, the pitch or the media gallery.

Most get to air their opinions through the right channels but others in the wrong way.

Just recently English football as a whole has been in the headlines for the wrong reasons. It’s the subject of racism that has brought it there.

Long before my time in football, black players had to endure and suffer racist abuse every week from the terraces.

In going through all that hell it gave the next generation of black players like myself, a chance to play with the freedom of not having to experience any of that.

So yes, the terraces seem to be cleaner and fans can no longer can anyone use it to voice their racist opinion and show their ignorance.

Yet of late it seems that it is on the pitch that needs cleaning up.

On a professional level in this country, racism on the pitch isn’t really a problem. But due to the high profile personnel involved in recent cases it has brought it to the surface.

I think people found the way the cases were dealt with more upsetting than the actual incidents itself.

There was the mini protest in the not wearing of T-shirts. It split opinions across the board.

I myself believe that if you don’t feel strong enough about something then why should you promote it. Those who did not wear the t-shirts didn’t come out and publicly speak ill of the campaign, they just didn’t back it.

I don’t think you should be made to wear or promote something you don’t feel strongly enough about.

I was asked if had I been playing at the time, would I have worn the t-shirt and I actually think at that moment in time I wouldn’t have worn it that weekend.

Why? Maybe I don’t feel the campaign was, or is doing enough, so at that moment not to wear the t-shirt would have been my choice.

Like a lot of thing in life it’s not what you say but how you say it. And that can certainly be true in someone making a racist remark.

See, I believe that a person can make a racist remark but it doesn’t necessarily condemn them to being a racist. When I say racist remark I mean it could be a term or word deemed not politically correct.

It might show a persons ignorance but not necessarily prove they are racist.

Is there a difference people may ask, I say there is.

I believe behind closed doors and in the comfort and security of close friends or family that most, if not everyone has made a racist remark.

Some people have friends of different origins that they might be close enough with to joke with them about their creed and colour.

Is it still racism if the recipient accepts the remark or joke?

If someone makes the same joking comment to someone they don’t know, does it make them racist? Is it different because there are no familiarities?

I am not saying any of the above is right or correct I am just saying it happens, and happens a lot.

I don’t necessarily think any of the above proves someone a racist. The thing is, unless someone publicly declares they are racist how do we know or prove it.

I think, however, you can sense from the tone in someone voice as well as the content and context of what they are saying to determine racism.

I think people are a lot smarter in hiding their opinions if they are racist. Using the comfort and safety of their own circles to freely air them.

So if its behind closed doors isn’t that a good thing?

There is of course no place for racism in society let alone football.

In an ideal world we would have no racism and the only colour we would have an opinion on would be the colour of football shirts.

Obviously we don’t live in an ideal world so what is the solution

Racism is out there so how do we combat it. Do it with a zero tolerance policy? But isn’t that what we have in place now?

Is the campaign we have in place at the moment failing us, or it is working? Are the recent high profile cases just one offs as to being the norm?

I don’t have the answers but I do know that the answer is that it needs to be stopped.

If it can’t be stopped then to contain it must be the next best thing. In containing it then it means keeping it confined and behind closed doors.

Leave those people to share their views with others of the same ignorance. As long as they are not corrupting or polluting society and our beautiful game we love.

Then that answer is surely a good thing. Not the perfect solution but nevertheless a good one.

Anyway, these are just some of my views on racism in football and in society. They might be met with disapproval or even disappointment but these are my honest opinions.

I hope that we are once again talking about football and not the ignorance or racist opinion of people that are spoiling it.