The Knee
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Leroy Rosenior: Saying nothing in the face of discrimination creates a void
Ex-QPR, Fulham and West Ham striker Leroy Rosenior discusses his own experiences of racism as a player and manager; Rosenior regrets not speaking out in support of Justin Fashanu when he was subjected to homophobia
By Jefferson Lake
12:00, UK, Tuesday 22 December 2020
Leroy Rosenior has spoken to Sky Sports News about his experience of racism as a player and manager, and what should be done to combat the issue and other forms of discrimination
Show Racism The Red Card Vice-President Leroy Rosenior has stressed the vital importance of speaking out when bearing witness to issues of discrimination.
The former QPR, Fulham and West Ham striker recalls his own experiences of racism in an emotional interview with Sky, who recently announced a three-year partnership with another anti-racism group, Kick It Out.
Rosenior also spoke about his relationship with Justin Fashanu, who committed suicide in May 1998 at the age of 37 after being accused of sexual assault while working in the United States.
Image:Justin Fashanu committed suicide in May 1998
"One of my heroes was Justin Fashanu and everyone in the game knew that he was gay," said Rosenior, who has been giving workshops on behalf of the Show Racism The Red Card charity for 16 years and is vice-president and an ambassador.
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"The next thing I heard about Justin was about nine years later when he hung himself and I thought back to that moment.
"I didn't deal with it and when you don't deal with things at the time they happen, they lose their power.
The vast majority of Rosenior's playing career was during the 1980s, a time during which he experienced several extreme incidents of racism at close quarters.
His 1985 debut appearance for Queens Park Rangers was no different and the abuse was so severe, it stopped his three older sisters from watching him play again.
[img decoding="async" src="https://e0-365dm-com.cdn.ampproject...no-room-for-racism_5143444.jpg?20201019142259" class="i-amphtml-fill-content i-amphtml-replaced-content" >
Former West Brom striker Don Goodman says education is key in the fight against racism, after Kick It Out launched a new three-year partnership with Sky
"When you came off the pitch at Portsmouth, you had to go down some steps and one time there was this boy there who was about nine or 10 and he spat on me," he said.
"The adult with him, I assume it was his father, laughed, and then all of the people in that part of the ground laughed too.
"My team-mates got really angry and really upset because someone had spat on me. They didn't get angry about the monkey chants and the Nazi salutes or when bananas were thrown at me.
Daily Mirror assistant editor Darren Lewis and former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison are delighted Sky have launched a new three-year partnership with Kick It Out which will see Sky commit £3m of funding in the fight against racism
"My sisters looked after me every step of the way but they came to my first game at QPR and I scored the winning goal. I walked into the players' lounge and I was absolutely buzzing. People were coming up to me and getting autographs.
"My sisters said to me that throughout the game there was a guy behind them was giving me racist abuse all game - 'you black this, you black that.'
"And he was the first person who had come up to me to ask me for my autograph. From that day on, I never let my sisters come and watch me play."
Rosenior is also at pains to stress the effect words can have on people and why education is so important, particularly for children.
"My kids are mixed race, their Mum is white," said Rosenior. "So if you call them mixed race, and there's only one race, the human race...that implies their Mum is human, I must be an alien."
"To a kid that's massive. They are using language in different ways and they're not aware of how powerful words can be. I always want to point out that everything that come out of their mouth has an effect."
Ex-QPR, Fulham and West Ham striker Leroy Rosenior discusses his own experiences of racism as a player and manager; Rosenior regrets not speaking out in support of Justin Fashanu when he was subjected to homophobia
By Jefferson Lake
12:00, UK, Tuesday 22 December 2020
You must log in or register to see images
Leroy Rosenior has spoken to Sky Sports News about his experience of racism as a player and manager, and what should be done to combat the issue and other forms of discrimination
Show Racism The Red Card Vice-President Leroy Rosenior has stressed the vital importance of speaking out when bearing witness to issues of discrimination.
The former QPR, Fulham and West Ham striker recalls his own experiences of racism in an emotional interview with Sky, who recently announced a three-year partnership with another anti-racism group, Kick It Out.
Rosenior also spoke about his relationship with Justin Fashanu, who committed suicide in May 1998 at the age of 37 after being accused of sexual assault while working in the United States.
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Image:Justin Fashanu committed suicide in May 1998
"One of my heroes was Justin Fashanu and everyone in the game knew that he was gay," said Rosenior, who has been giving workshops on behalf of the Show Racism The Red Card charity for 16 years and is vice-president and an ambassador.
Advertisement
"The next thing I heard about Justin was about nine years later when he hung himself and I thought back to that moment.
"I didn't deal with it and when you don't deal with things at the time they happen, they lose their power.
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The vast majority of Rosenior's playing career was during the 1980s, a time during which he experienced several extreme incidents of racism at close quarters.
His 1985 debut appearance for Queens Park Rangers was no different and the abuse was so severe, it stopped his three older sisters from watching him play again.
[img decoding="async" src="https://e0-365dm-com.cdn.ampproject...no-room-for-racism_5143444.jpg?20201019142259" class="i-amphtml-fill-content i-amphtml-replaced-content" >
Former West Brom striker Don Goodman says education is key in the fight against racism, after Kick It Out launched a new three-year partnership with Sky
"When you came off the pitch at Portsmouth, you had to go down some steps and one time there was this boy there who was about nine or 10 and he spat on me," he said.
"The adult with him, I assume it was his father, laughed, and then all of the people in that part of the ground laughed too.
"My team-mates got really angry and really upset because someone had spat on me. They didn't get angry about the monkey chants and the Nazi salutes or when bananas were thrown at me.
You must log in or register to see images
Daily Mirror assistant editor Darren Lewis and former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison are delighted Sky have launched a new three-year partnership with Kick It Out which will see Sky commit £3m of funding in the fight against racism
"My sisters looked after me every step of the way but they came to my first game at QPR and I scored the winning goal. I walked into the players' lounge and I was absolutely buzzing. People were coming up to me and getting autographs.
"My sisters said to me that throughout the game there was a guy behind them was giving me racist abuse all game - 'you black this, you black that.'
"And he was the first person who had come up to me to ask me for my autograph. From that day on, I never let my sisters come and watch me play."
Rosenior is also at pains to stress the effect words can have on people and why education is so important, particularly for children.
"My kids are mixed race, their Mum is white," said Rosenior. "So if you call them mixed race, and there's only one race, the human race...that implies their Mum is human, I must be an alien."
"To a kid that's massive. They are using language in different ways and they're not aware of how powerful words can be. I always want to point out that everything that come out of their mouth has an effect."
Jamie Ritchie addresses 'kneegate' row and explains why most Scotland players didn't take a knee
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Scotland forward Jamie Ritchie insists he showed full support to anti-racism messages at Twickenham after being criticised for not taking a knee. The Edinburgh player has expressed surprise about the furore over his choice ahead of Scotland’s Guinness Six Nations win over England.
Ritchie and others elected to stand and reflect while team-mates kneeled down but he felt all had shown support for anti-racism campaigns in their own way.
The pre-match ritual also included tributes to coronavirus victims including Captain Sir Tom Moore.
Six Nations organisers did not request that players take the knee but at least four Scotland players and about 11 England players were pictured doing so with those who stood coming under criticism.
Ritchie said: “It’s all been a bit of a surprise to be honest. We weren’t told before the game ‘we would like you to kneel’ or ‘we wouldn’t like you to kneel’. It was down to personal choice.
“I don’t think anyone who didn’t kneel was disagreeing with anything that was put forward. It’s 100 per cent right that rugby is acknowledging the anti-racism movement. I completely agree with that.
“I think guys standing in quiet reflection of that is in full support of it.
“Whether boys kneeled or didn’t kneel was nothing we discussed before the game, it was completely down to personal preference. Anyone who kneeled I would back 100 per cent and anyone who stood I would do the same.
“For me personally it was the first game I had been involved in when anyone took the knee. I was not surprised, I knew guys in the Premiership had been doing it, but it was down to personal preference at the time. I took that time to reflect and think about the message.
“You can’t please everyone, it’s such a polarising argument, whether to kneel or not. Social media can be a pretty vile place at times and guys know how to deal with it.
“It’s not stung, it has certainly not taken away from how special that day was for everyone involved. It’s just one of the things that comes with being in the limelight and playing pro sport.”
One of the Scotland players who did kneel, Ali Price, also feels too much has been made of the issue.
The Glasgow scrum-half said: “We were told beforehand that there would be a round of applause for Sir Tom and everyone who has sadly passed away due to Covid, followed by a moment of reflection around racism in sport and in general. And then it’s very much individual.
“I have never taken a knee in any of the games I have been involved in before. It was never part of any of the build-up to PRO14 games. In the autumn we never did it.
“On the day I felt it was right to take a knee. At the same time, I could also have stood like many of the other players did and just had that moment of reflection. There’s different ways to do that.
“There’s too much to read into that, everyone was reflective and respectful.”
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Scotland forward Jamie Ritchie insists he showed full support to anti-racism messages at Twickenham after being criticised for not taking a knee. The Edinburgh player has expressed surprise about the furore over his choice ahead of Scotland’s Guinness Six Nations win over England.
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© Getty Images Jamie Ritchie addresses 'kneegate' row and explains why most Scotland players didn't take a kneeRitchie and others elected to stand and reflect while team-mates kneeled down but he felt all had shown support for anti-racism campaigns in their own way.
The pre-match ritual also included tributes to coronavirus victims including Captain Sir Tom Moore.
Six Nations organisers did not request that players take the knee but at least four Scotland players and about 11 England players were pictured doing so with those who stood coming under criticism.
Ritchie said: “It’s all been a bit of a surprise to be honest. We weren’t told before the game ‘we would like you to kneel’ or ‘we wouldn’t like you to kneel’. It was down to personal choice.
“I don’t think anyone who didn’t kneel was disagreeing with anything that was put forward. It’s 100 per cent right that rugby is acknowledging the anti-racism movement. I completely agree with that.
“I think guys standing in quiet reflection of that is in full support of it.
“Whether boys kneeled or didn’t kneel was nothing we discussed before the game, it was completely down to personal preference. Anyone who kneeled I would back 100 per cent and anyone who stood I would do the same.
“For me personally it was the first game I had been involved in when anyone took the knee. I was not surprised, I knew guys in the Premiership had been doing it, but it was down to personal preference at the time. I took that time to reflect and think about the message.
“You can’t please everyone, it’s such a polarising argument, whether to kneel or not. Social media can be a pretty vile place at times and guys know how to deal with it.
“It’s not stung, it has certainly not taken away from how special that day was for everyone involved. It’s just one of the things that comes with being in the limelight and playing pro sport.”
One of the Scotland players who did kneel, Ali Price, also feels too much has been made of the issue.
The Glasgow scrum-half said: “We were told beforehand that there would be a round of applause for Sir Tom and everyone who has sadly passed away due to Covid, followed by a moment of reflection around racism in sport and in general. And then it’s very much individual.
“I have never taken a knee in any of the games I have been involved in before. It was never part of any of the build-up to PRO14 games. In the autumn we never did it.
“On the day I felt it was right to take a knee. At the same time, I could also have stood like many of the other players did and just had that moment of reflection. There’s different ways to do that.
“There’s too much to read into that, everyone was reflective and respectful.”
That Knee lark should be abolished now, it’s had its day & in my opinion should never had started it
Sky is going to hang them out to dry. A whole hour discussing their rascist past.
(NOT!)
Good for them. Sounds like they’ve had an adult discussion about it and decided that despite their efforts, if anything displays of racism have increased off the back of it. Hopefully when we play them, the fans that lose their **** over that five seconds before the match can look at their players instead or just go and put the kettle on.
Twitter full of Brentford fans applauding the teams decision and saying how they are “taking the lead” and how others will now “follow suit”
No slating for them from sky yet, no pseudo digs of racism, no sky news debates on a “shocking decision”
Our club, which is one of the most socially aware and diverse clubs in the EFL really do deserve an apology for the crap accusations we had thrown at us in September
No slating for them from sky yet, no pseudo digs of racism, no sky news debates on a “shocking decision”
Our club, which is one of the most socially aware and diverse clubs in the EFL really do deserve an apology for the crap accusations we had thrown at us in September
Hopefully, someone from our club will remind viewers of that on Wednesday...
I really hope so. It was absolutely disgusting what Sky did to us.....they should be held accountable for it and apologise
Exactly, this has gone too far, should abolish this knee lark
Keep politics I personally disagree with and things that aren’t really politics but I’ll say are politics out of football.
Less catchy admittedly.
Less catchy admittedly.
I wonder how many people would have booed had they been kneeling behind a kick racism out of football banner
If teams start deciding they will stop taking the knee that is fine, so long as the question of 'what next?' is asked. If all the football clubs have taken the knee for the last however many months as a gesture of support, but nothing has changed, it will have been a waste of time. If it actually provokes clubs, supporters and the media to ask questions about how inclusive they really are, and work on improving then it will have been worth it. That will also give clubs like ours the chance to lead the way in explaining what we have already been actually DOING to help the cause taking the knee represents.
My fear is it will just fizzle out as a movement, as it was considered the done thing for a period of time, you were harshly criticised for not doing it, but eventually it lost momentum and stopped.
My fear is it will just fizzle out as a movement, as it was considered the done thing for a period of time, you were harshly criticised for not doing it, but eventually it lost momentum and stopped.
Taking the knee is irretrievably tarnished by its connection to a militant Marxist organisation. If players in the recent England match had held up "kick racism out of football" banners or similar, they would have been applauded. Authorities are too stupid to realise this.