Disgust over racist graffiti left at football club

Senior officials at a football club have told of their disgust after offensive graffiti was painted on the pavilion and soap dispensers following a match.

Peterborough Lions FC has shown the BBC images of racist slurs written on the Bretton club's property, and describing it as a "targeted" attack.

Chairman Darren Foster said: "I feel hurt and disgusted, though it's nothing new to me. But at the end of the day, it's not going to deter me from trying to bring football to the community."

Club secretary Kerry Cassidy said more needed to be done to educate people about racism.

Foster, who is also involved in the Roots and Rise hub at the city's Queensgate Shopping Centre, started the football club four years ago, and it caters for 15 groups of girls and boys.

Cassidy said: "After the game finished, we came back to the changing room. Darren noticed the words written in red and blue on the walls. There was fresh paint on the soap dispensers, too.

"No-one carries paint in their car for fun... in my opinion this was done deliberately.

"It took me four attempts to scrub it off. I did not want our young kids to come and see that. It is unacceptable."

Foster said: "You must be thick-skinned in this job – that's what I have learnt. I am just trying to upskill the youth and give them something positive.

"It's not nice, but I am used to incidents like this. Racism in football is common sadly."

Cassidy added: "You are not born racist. You are taught to be racist. There needs to be more education around racism, in schools and homes.

"They need to know it's not right, not OK to use such words."

The cameras on the pavilion were not working at the time, so the club did not involve the police.

"It was disappointing to know that. There was no evidence of who did it so we thought, 'What's the point of reporting it?'" Foster said.

Richard Stangward, a Labour city councillor for the Bretton ward, said he was "extremely concerned" to hear about the graffiti.

"Bretton is an inclusive community and racial incidences are very rare, but [this is] disturbing," he said.

"I would urge anybody who may has any information on this to contact the police.

"Alternatively, they can contact me directly and I will ensure the details are passed on to the police."

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