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After West Ham fan’s chanting, is football returning to the dark ages?

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So today the FA have revealed they are to investigate the notion of anti-Semitic chants during the recent Premier League London Derby between West Ham and Tottenham.

Is this another sign of football going back into the dark ages? The notorious racism scenes in the 1980s – Bananas thrown at black players, monkey gestures and racist chants coming from the stands.

Over the last 20 to 30 years, the Premier league has evolved into a diverse multicultural workplace with around a quarter of players coming from black or ethnic minority backgrounds. Racism in football due to skin colour or religion now seems out-dated and highly uncommon in this country.

But with the recent high-profile racism scandals of Terry and Suarez it seems to have taken a major influence into the stands.

The anti-Semitic chants at yesterday’s game come just four days after Spurs fan Ashley Mills was stabbed before Tottenham’s game with Lazio in the Italian capital – due to an apparent anti-Semitic attack.

West Ham supporters aimed offensive chants towards the home crowd in light of the incident and the words “Viva Lazio” and “can we stab you every week”, could be heard by fans and the press alike.

Tottenham have strong links with the Jewish community, as West Ham fans are fully aware, and the sound of hissing – as if to imitate the mass execution of Jews in gas chambers during the holocaust – was also heard from the stands, sparking outrage among the Tottenham faithful. Towards the end of the match, some Hammers fans were also heard singing: “Adolf Hitler, he’s coming for you.”

West Ham said in a statement to the press: ‘We will do all we can and pledge to take the strongest possible action against any supporters found guilty of inappropriate chanting during the game, including the enforcement of life bans.’

After the game both managers were reluctant to discuss the matter without reviewing the tapes beforehand.

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce told sky sources: “I didn’t hear it. I don’t hear what the fans say or do when I’m concentrating as a manager on a game of football.

“They shouldn’t be doing things like that, it is the least of my worries at the minute isn’t it? What do you want me to say? If I didn’t hear it I can’t condemn it can I?”

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas said he did not want the issue to detract attention from what Tottenham achieved on the pitch.

He said: “You know the animosity there is between Tottenham and West Ham and as long as it doesn’t reach stupidity it is a great, great rivalry of two London clubs.

“It would be extremely unfair for me to mar the performance of the players, but understanding that a couple of situations are avoidable, we can’t decipher the true meaning of what they were saying.”

There is no room for anti-Semitic chanting or racism in football – the FA must take a stand and cut it out before the dark ages of the 80s become apparent again.

Follow me via twitter: @leeallcock89

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