Imps In Rockingham Road Race Row

Last updated : 10 November 2008 By Gary Hutchinson
Lincoln City are today involved in a race row with Saturdays opponents Kettering Town after Jacko claimed certain members of staff were racially abused by a supporter.

Jacko furiously accused a 'fan' of making monkey gestures at assistant Iffy Onuora, Frank Sinclair and Aaron Brown during the second half of the match.

Jacko was in the process of pointing out the culprit when Kettering scored, and was frank as usual in his views on how the incident was dealt with.

"The players and Iffy Onuora were all abused and you have to ask how this fellow, who was stood just 10 yards behind me, can get away with calling them monkeys?" raged the League Two manager of the month

"He started making gestures at them and I've told the stewards, but what happened? Nothing. If I had done the same thing then I would have been arrested by the police, it's as simple as that."

Ironically just yards from where Jacko stood there hung a proud 'Poppies Against Racism' banner. However it appears that words come easily, but actions do not.

"The culprit stays in the stadium. They didn't get his name or address, nothing. How is that possible? We're supposed to be kicking racism out of football for goodness sake."

"Yet, after the game, this fellow has gone away to the pub and is sat down having a drink knowing he has got away with it and it's left a sour taste in the mouth. I've got people who will back me up, just ask my substitutes and Iffy Onuora."

Lincoln have lodged a formal complaint with Kettering
chariman Imraan Ladak who claims he is investigating the matter, and will start by questioning stewards in the main stand.

"I was in the same area, but I didn't hear or see anything of that nature" said Ladak, surprisingly.

"I would be surprised if that was the case because this sort of thing hasn't been levelled at us before. But if an allegation has been made then, of course, we will look at it. I can't say anything until I have spoken to the stewards and the people who were sitting in the vicinity of that area."

Ladak don't forget is the chairman who LCM feels shamelessly exploited an ill Paul Gascoinge to raise his clubs profile a couple of years ago.

"I'm not going to dismiss what their manager (Jacko) has said because out of 3,000 people, there might be one or two people who have said something that what was not right."

"But we will investigate it. I just think it's a shame we are talking about this instead of the football."

Lincoln are now expected to consider reporting the incident to the Football Association with the governing body having recently launched a Kick It Out campaign in a fresh bid to stamp racism out of the game.