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Canoville on racism in the game: “It was bad enough when I was playing but we’re talking what 30 years on now and to me it’s crept right back, and it’s gotten worse.”
Last Updated: 13/10/19 8:38am
0:42 Former Chelsea winger Paul Canoville says he’d support England if they chose to leave the pitch due to racist abuse against Bulgaria on Monday night.
The match in Sofia will be played in a partially closed stadium after Bulgarian fans were found guilty of racist behaviour in their games against Kosovo and Czech Republic in June. The Fare network, set up to counter discrimination in European football, will also have anti-racism spotters in the crowd.
0:43 Earlier this week, Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham – who was the victim of racial abuse on social media earlier this season – suggested England’s players could defy UEFA’s racism protocols and walk off the pitch as a team if they are subjected to racist abuse.
Asked at an anti-racism workshop if he would support such a move by England’s players, Canoville said to Sky Sports News: “Yes I would. I would, I would.
“It’s not a money tip anymore. It’s not about the money or about sponsorship, you’ve got to protect the players now and if our team supports each other that’s all well and good.”
0:36 “I think there is a lack of support for black players [in general],” he added. “And the authorities themselves, the big boys, the Premier League, UEFA , the FA they have got to do a lot more.
“This has steadily been gaining and they haven’t developed a situation to be honest to combat or eradicate it.
Racism has ‘crept right back’
“It’s not just happening at international grounds, it’s happening at all grounds, Premier League grounds, every club has got to sort something out.
“It moves me and it scars me at the same time. It’s not just a football issue at this moment, it’s community. Too much has been going on and not enough is being done.
0:32 “It was bad enough when I was playing but we’re talking what 30 years on now and to me it’s crept right back, and it’s gotten worse.”
Canoville was speaking at a Show Racism the Red Card event hosted by Arsenal in the Community at the Emirates Stadium, featuring a series of workshops for local schoolchildren and a panel discussion.
The 57-year-old joined Chelsea from Hillingdon Borough in 1981 and was part of the team that went up from the old Second Division to the top-flight as champions.
‘I was frightened for Nevin’
But Canoville’s spell at Chelsea was tarnished by appalling racist abuse directed at him. In the face of death threats, his former Chelsea team-mate Pat Nevin remonstrated with and publicly condemned supporters who racially abused Canoville.
“Pat was a young Scottish lad or a wee lad [when I met him],” Canoville said.
“He played on the right and I played on the left, and it was a combination that worked well for Chelsea. We got a lot of goals with Kerry [Dixon] and [David [Speedie] and we went up to Division One in 83-84 because of that.
“It was hurtful [the abuse I received]. The first thing for me was I was shocked because no player really kind of stood up and gave any input in terms of what I was receiving.
“But Pat did that and I was kind of shocked and frightened at the same time – for him, not just for myself.
“But I knew where Pat was coming from and the kind of support Pat showed me, it just dwells on until today. We still have that support between us. I admire that strongly even until today.
“He’s a big supporter of Show Racism the Red Card, he’s a very good friend and he’ll be a friend for a very long time.”
