Blight of prejudice not simply restricted to foul-mouthed ranting from terraces

At the first league game I attended in England, in 1984, a banana landed at the feet of the West Ham United winger Bobby Barnes. Bobby Barnes, in case you wondered, is black. It was shocking, surprising and the image remains 30 years on.

In fact it returns often when racism resurfaces in English football. It returned last Saturday night when news emerged from Walsall that Wolves goalkeeper Carl Ikeme had been racially abused by a small section of Walsall followers.

That in turn sparked a more recent memory, from Queen’s Park Rangers in the early days of last season. QPR were at home to Walsall in the League Cup. QPR had just signed Julio Cesar from Inter Milan, another example of the west London club’s lopsided funding. We were at Loftus Road to think about QPR becoming the new Portsmouth.

Walsall had a tidy team and did not deserve to lose 3-0. But from their small band of fans at Loftus Road, there were some noises that caused discomfort.

At such moments you have to ensure that what you heard is what was said. From 60 yards away that is difficult. But put it this way: a black man close by would not have been at ease.

It stayed in the mind. Walsall may indeed have what the former Wolves keeper Matt Murray described as "an idiotic minority – Walsall is a fine and friendly club", but Murray is a friend of Ikeme's and Ikeme told him what he heard.

Walsall, the club, have responded by seeking to find the individuals involved and have said they will ban them from their ground.

Powell dismissal
That is good, but what is not is that Ikeme and his team-mate George Elokobi, also abused in the warm-up, have experienced this kind of up-close, naked racism in 2014. Was this not meant to have been eroded from British grounds, from our way of life?

Just as these things must be considered carefully, there must also be restraint when connecting events. Therefore, when Charlton Athletic sacked Chris Powell on Monday, leaving Chris Hughton as the only black manager of 92 in England's four divisions, it felt linked to Walsall, indirectly. The two events seemed to belong to the same culture.

Is that correct? Had, for example, Ian Holloway been manager of Charlton as they scrambled together 10 points from their last 14 Championship matches, as Charlton had under Powell, would he have stayed in his post?

Probably not. Charlton have a new owner, a businessman based in Belgium who appears to wish to see the club become a feeder outfit for Standard Liege. Many white managers have been shown the door when a new owner steps in.

At a football level, the treatment of Powell is harsh. It was under his guidance Charlton were promoted the season before last and it was under Powell that Charlton finished ninth in the Championship last season. That was their highest placing since relegation from the Premier League in 2007.

True, the recent run is worrisome but Charlton are three points off fourth-bottom Millwall in the Championship and have four games in hand on them. Powell deserved the opportunity to see the job through.

Now he has no job. Now there is one black manager among the 92 and that is as bad as it looks.

Nuanced example of Ince Powell was

two of 92 and until a short time ago Paul Ince was three of 92. The sport needs to think about that, and respond.

But Ince’s case also demonstrates nuance, something even Sol Campbell should ponder. In his eight- year managerial career, Ince has been employed by Macclesfield Town, MK Dons (twice) Blackburn Rovers, Notts County and Blackpool.

It could be said that on arrival at those clubs – and on departure – he has been judged, to use a phrase, as much by the content of his character as by his ability as a manager.

Ince was given opportunities, perhaps due to his fame, but then that has applied many times to young, white ex-players.

A question a young or old black coach is entitled to ask is: where is my opportunity? The statistics suggest this question is valid.

Racism has dimensions. One is personal abuse of the sort heard by Ikeme at Walsall, another concerns access to power, or lack of access to it.

By being manager of Charlton, Powell had some power and influence over his club and its employees. He had access.

Now it’s gone and who knows when or if it will come again to Powell. He could find himself feeling estranged, frustrated at the absence of opportunity, hearing stories such as Ikeme’s and wondering if all that’s changed from 30 years ago is that the bananas of 2014 are taunts from behind the goal or, worse, locked glass doors.