Actor determined to kick racism out of football

Shanice Harris played the role of a goalkeeper in a theatre performance about racism, weeks before Saka's penalty miss against Italy

A Stoke-on-Trent actor who highlighted racism in football ahead of the last European championships has said stamping it out remains a priority as incidents continue at Euro 2024.

Shanice Harris starred in an anti-discrimination drama documentary weeks before Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were subject to racist abuse at the Euro 2020 final.

Uefa is currently investigating an allegation of racist chanting towards England players during Sunday's match against Serbia.

Head of community at Port Vale, Will Turner, supported Miss Harris with the play and fears that a small minority "aren't ready or capable to be educated".

The New Vic Theatre play was originally performed in 2021, based on incidents of discrimination in Staffordshire.

The diverse cast also used their own experiences to devise the content of the show viewed by an online audience of more than 4,000 people.

"We were able to put our own feelings into it and I think that made it what it was," said Miss Harris.

Since then, there have been many instances of racism in the English game, including the abuse of Rashford, Sancho and Saka.

The play's director, Sue Moffat, is reassured that at least incidents are now being reported and in some cases charges brought.

"People are talking about it and that's really important. For a long time, it's been under the radar."

The play was created in conjunction with the charity foundation at Port Vale, whose first team is managed by Darren Moore

Head of community at Port Vale, Will Turner, fears that the "dial hasn't moved" and that racism has transferred from the terraces to social media.

"I don't necessarily think it has, overall, got better. I think people are just using a different method to be racist."

Port Vale is one of relatively few football league clubs to have a black manager, in Darren Moore, which concerns Mr Turner.

"That's not a coincidence. That's because society's set up in a way that it makes it harder for people of colour to do that sort of thing."