Racist football fans need re-educating - manager

Josh Gowling is a former defender for Bournemouth, Torquay and Kidderminster Harriers and managed Hereford until February

A grassroots football manager says spectators who racially abuse players should be re-educated if the sport is to ensure "these morons can't win".

"Just banning someone from a football match is not enough," said former player Josh Gowling.

Saying he too had been racially abused at different levels of the game, he called for greater representation of black people in its governing bodies.

His comments follow recent incidents.

Two non-league games in the West Midlands were stopped in the last few days after complaints of racist abuse.

Gowling, a former defender for Bournemouth, Torquay and Kidderminster Harriers, and manager of Hereford FC until February, said: "There needs to be education."

Calling for rehabilitation programmes, he added: "I think that will make a bigger difference than just banning someone from a football match where they're sitting at home angry that they can't go to their passion and it just makes things worse."

Coventry-born Mr Gowling said he had experienced racism from spectators during his playing days

A non-league game between Atherstone Town and Highgate United was abandoned at half-time on Tuesday. Three days earlier, Wednesfield FC players walked off the pitch during a fixture away at Droitwich Spa.

The FA is investigating both incidents.

Gowling, a former West Bromwich Albion trainee, said it was "fantastic" to see white players showing solidarity with black team mates by leaving the pitch.

"You should be able to go into work every day and enjoy what you do and not be worried about getting racially abused if things aren't going well," he said.

"Players have had enough and they're not going to stand for it."

He said he was concerned about figures from anti-racism football charity Kick it Out showing a 65% rise in reported incidents of discriminatory behaviour during the 2022-23 season.

Kick it Out said it had received a record high of 1,007 reports of discrimination across the grass roots and professional game along with social media.

Gowling said he thought nothing would change without more people of black heritage in positions of responsibility in football.

"Until that happens, we're just going to be having the same conversations," he said.

"I've played in front of thousands and been racially abused. I've played in front of hundreds and been racially abused and it's not nice. It makes you feel different, of course.

"[At] the end of the day, these morons can't [be allowed to] win."