English football has spent decades battling the scourge of racism. England manager Roy Hodgson (right) apologized after referring to Andros Townsend (left) as "the monkey" while telling an old NASA joke during a halftime team talk last year. In defense of his manager, Townsend tweeted: "I don't know what all this fuss is about....No offense was meant and none was taken! It's not even news worthy."
Race relations —
English football has spent decades battling the scourge of racism. England manager Roy Hodgson (right) apologized after referring to Andros Townsend (left) as "the monkey" while telling an old NASA joke during a halftime team talk last year. In defense of his manager, Townsend tweeted: "I don't know what all this fuss is about....No offense was meant and none was taken! It's not even news worthy."
Mike Hewitt/Getty Images/file
Garth Crooks is a former England under-21 international who went on to become the first black chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association. Crooks is now a trustee of "Kick It Out," a body dedicated to ridding football of discrimination.
Lack of leadership —
Garth Crooks is a former England under-21 international who went on to become the first black chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association. Crooks is now a trustee of "Kick It Out," a body dedicated to ridding football of discrimination.
Neil Mockford/Getty Images/file
Former England and Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has been racially abused on Twitter on numerous occasions.
Twitter tirade —
Former England and Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has been racially abused on Twitter on numerous occasions.
Getty Images
England internationals Ashley Young (pictured) and Ashley Cole were both racially abused on Twitter after missing penalties in the national team's loss to Italy at Euro 2012.
Penalty woe —
England internationals Ashley Young (pictured) and Ashley Cole were both racially abused on Twitter after missing penalties in the national team's loss to Italy at Euro 2012.
Christopher Lee/Getty Images/file
Reading striker Jason Roberts refused to wear a Kick It Out T-shirt ahead of an English Premier League match in 2012 as part of a protest against perceived inactivity in the fight against racism.
T-shirt protest —
Reading striker Jason Roberts refused to wear a Kick It Out T-shirt ahead of an English Premier League match in 2012 as part of a protest against perceived inactivity in the fight against racism.
OLLY GREENWOOD/AFP/Getty Images/file
Former France striker Nicolas Anelka was handed a five-match ban by the English FA for making a "quenelle" gesture after scoring for West Brom against West Ham in December 2013. The gesture is believed by some to be a Nazi salute in reverse and has been linked with anti-Semitism in Anelka's homeland.
Quenelle —
Former France striker Nicolas Anelka was handed a five-match ban by the English FA for making a "quenelle" gesture after scoring for West Brom against West Ham in December 2013. The gesture is believed by some to be a Nazi salute in reverse and has been linked with anti-Semitism in Anelka's homeland.
IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images/file