Canoville: Racist Fans Ignorant  (Sky Sports)

Former Chelsea winger Paul Canoville has branded supporters who denied a black man entry onto a Paris Metro train last month “ignorant”.

Souleymane S - a 33-year-old Parisian of Mauritanian origin - was not allowed to board the train at Richelieu-Drouot Metro station by supporters heading to the Champions League first leg between Paris Saint Germain and Chelsea.

And Canoville, who became the first black player to play for Chelsea when he made his debut in 1981, insists the people involved are not genuine fans of the club.

He told Sky Sports News HQ: “Yes we know what happened on the Paris Metro and it has come at an unfortunate time but my question is 'are they real fans'?

“Were they understandably going there watch a game for Chelsea? We have to look at that because the real Chelsea fans, they’re not like that.

“Chelsea have acted quickly in banning these fans who are ignorant as far as I am concerned.”

Canoville was the subject of horrific racial abuse from his own fans during the early part of his Chelsea career. A documentary detailing Canoville’s struggles called Black and Blue will be shown on Sky Sports 1 HD at 7pm on March 22.

In recent years, Chelsea have launched a number of initiatives promoting inclusion. Canoville praised the club as well as the work done by organisations like Show Racism the Red Card and Kick It Out to tackle racism and discrimination.

“A lot has been done, especially at Chelsea to eradicate racism,” he said.

“There has been a lot of diversity work that has taken place and I do a lot of workshops in schools talking to youngsters about what racism brings.

“But we didn’t have those organisations back then. I was a loner and I didn’t share it with anybody. I kept my problems to myself and that’s how it was. Chelsea didn’t too much at that time and didn’t know what to do to be honest but a lot has changed.

“We now have organisations like Show Racism The Red Card, Kick It Out and FARE as well as the workshops I do now with Chelsea letting kids as well as adults know what racism is and the effects of it.”