Cod Almighty | Diary

Take off your black and white blinkers

20 April 2020

Hooray, we've something to write about other than COVID-19.

It's about Elliott Whitehouse being charged with racially-aggravated abuse. Oh.

The alleged offence occurred in the 72nd minute of our game at Northampton on 23 November. If you were within earshot of Whitehouse at the time, I'll listen to your account of what happened. Otherwise, let's not prejudge.

But there is this. COVID-19 has proved once and for all that football is not a matter of life and death. And that is precisely why it is important. The thing we do to express ourselves should also be an expression of our best selves. Let's use this period of enforced reflection to think about all the things that spoil the game, and agree we won't put up with them any longer.

That includes racial abuse, whoever does it, whoever's shirt they are wearing. Middle-Aged Diary would prefer that no Town player and no Town fan ever stood accused of such a charge. But if it must happen, I'd take heart if there was no falling into regimented lines, no special pleading because the person accused is "on our side". Just an acceptance that if someone, anyone, has done wrong, they should face the appropriate sanction. And we should all be willing to learn from it.