Everton have already suffered at the hands of these morons in the past and we certainly could do without them raising their ugly heads again.

As for the authorities it is the same old story. They have a product to sell and they don't want anything to spoil their income streams. Obviously Eastern Europe and other parts of the world have more serious issues as regards racism, but British football like our society will never entirely rid itself of these bigoted people who look for someone to blame for their everyday problems.

Sometimes it is like pushing water uphill but those who believe these idiots are to be stopped will have to continue pointing it out and condemning them at every given opportunity, if we are to have a chance of eradicating this awful stain on society.

I would also like to apologise to Mr Bassong on behalf of all right-minded people, football supporters or not, for the tweets he received following his equaliser at Goodison on Saturday.

I've got no time for WH fans. Absolute dregs of society. Had to sit with them enough times and seen their behaviour first hand. Shudder...

Nick, a bit of a generalisation there on the WH fans no?

But I agree generally. Football is at a low point. I mean apart from the actual game itself it's hard find much good about it.

In fairness, West Ham fans are to my mind, particularly bad for this sort of thing. That being said, Tottenham suffer some pretty inexcusable abuse at the hands of fans from most clubs, including our own. I hate going to White Hart Lane for three reasons - 1. It's miles away from the station in a dismal, nasty, hostile area. 2. We always seem to get beat. 3. Our fans disgrace themselves.

Every single time I've been there, more than a few of our fans make the inevitable hissing noises, or worse. What I despise most about the hissing is how it's even more cowardly than usual. Anyone can hiss in secret and in a crowd you'd never really be able to tell. If you're going to disgrace yourself at least have the balls to stand up so decent minded people can confront you. I don't see on what planet it's acceptable to try and score points against a club by mocking the industrialised slaughter of six million people but hey, that must be "political correctness gone mad" on my part I guess?

I fully agree that we should criticise the tool who racially abused Bassong, and the West Ham fans (whom Jonathan Liew in the Telegraph points out were not just a small minority).

The worst thing about it is that it becomes a brush with which to tar us all. I was speaking to a woman at work about it yesterday and she said "well that's just football isn't it?" Well no, actually, it shouldn't be. There are lines and this is one of them. Even in the most hate-fuelled derby I would never turn around and shout something racist at Sterling or Johnson. There are dickheads in all walk of life and painful as it is, some of them are football fans. Some of them are Evertonians. It is up to us to make them realise that the majority of us do not want them here. Fuck "not being a grass", this isn't someone sneeking in a hip flask or smoking in the toilets. Tell the stewards, tell the police, and get them the fuck out of the crowd and banned for life.

I remember taking my little lad to Spurs a couple of seasons ago and not knowing what to say to him when he asked me why most of the Everton fans were making hissing noises. Also, had it at Fulham away, can't remember now who the Fulham player was, but he went over to take a corner and was called every racist word under the sun, the sad thing was, the lads doing it couldn't have been more than 16.

Good post, James, but by saying you'd never shout something racist at Sterling or Johnson you almost (I said almost) seem to suggest that shouting other forms of abuse is acceptable.

You mention how cowardly it is to make the hissing noises, but it's almost as cowardly to shout any other type of abuse from the safety of the stands. Is there any other walk of life where this is acceptable, sport or otherwise?

I'm expecting the "They get paid plenty of money" and "I pay my money so I'm entitled to shout what I want" comments but I don't think I'll ever understand what I perceive to be the average football fan.

Shane, I think there's a difference between shouting generic abuse (at a foul, bad refereeing decision, etc) and shouting stuff that's racist, anti-semitic, sectarian or what have you. My point about the hissing was also that I can sit on the train and make a hissing noise and a man walking by wouldn't be able to work out if it was me, the man next to me or the woman opposite. At least if you stand up out of your seat and yell something, if it's offensive the stewards / police have the power to warn / eject you if it's too much.

I agree that many people shout things at a football match that they would not shout at someone on the street but to me there is a difference. A football match is a contest – all sport is (historically) a means of preparation for war. The development of sport in public schools was seen as a good way to develop an officer / ruling class in the pursuit of Empire.

Therefore, when you support a team passionately, as we all do, you will get emotionally involved and sometimes most people will boil over. I would never be so annoyed on the street at a man cutting me up or something as I would at Steven Gerrard diving for a penalty.

Furthermore, the passion and intensity of a match adds to the thrill. The best atmosphere is at a tense, derby match, where emotions run high. If everyone sat in the stands was silent and politely applauded the opposition for a fine piece of play, then the game would lose an edge that brings half the thrill.

Obviously in football, just like in war, there should be boundaries though, which is what I was getting at. Whilst Gerrard won't enjoy hearing songs about his children, in the same way that Patrice Evra doesn't like being booed for being the victim of racism, if you asked them whether they wanted all the vitriol and anger taken out of the game, I don't think they would. As an example, look how much Gerrard was delighted at Suarez (not – hahahahaha) scoring the winner in the last derby. Would he have cared that much if we didn't barrack him every time he came to Goodison? Probably not.

I suppose my point is that sport is different due to the emotional attachment it has on people, and football even more so as that attachment is so strong and tribal. One of the things that is so sad about the treatment Spurs get is that most of the desire to offend is, in my opinion, not actually a deep inbuilt antisemitism, but rather an attempt to score points off them by mocking the holocaust, in the same way that we get "feed the scousers" songs off other teams in the league.

There's a line though. Maybe people would suggest it's being hypocritical to say it's fine to abuse the opposition – just don't be racist – but I think that's bollocks. A colleague at work is a Spurs fan and black. I might wind him up for doing something dumb, or a football result. He might call me fat or a thieving scouser, but I'd never think it was fine to call him the "n" word out of frustration or as a means to score points. It should be the same with football.

Apologies for the lengths of my partially rambling posts, I just want to make sure I express myself properly.

George, I support your post.

Nice one George. Bigotry of any kind (racist, religious, ethnic...) – not in my name.

I remember an incident many years ago in the Gwladys Street when some of the opposition players came onto the pitch to warm up. A couple of teenagers started shouting racist comments for a few brief moments until the rest of the crowd rounded on them and told them to shut it in no uncertain terms! Especially proud to be an Evertonian that day.

Always upsets me whenever our club has been associated with this kind of thing as I am sure we are no worse than anybody else (and hopefully better than most), barring the occasional idiot.

Pleased to add my name to this thread.

A few Good Men. Thats all it takes to stop abuse, whether it be racial, religious, sexual orientation, creed or just plain vitriol.

Football is an emotional, tribal and proud game where allegiance is worn on the sleeve, but there is no place for the abuse and there never should be ANY excuse made for it. Dressing it up nicely as banter will not make it right, saying it's humour will not make it ok.

We are our brother's keeper; we should police our own and expect others to do the same. Society is you and me, not somebody else.

For the sake of our club, football and the youngsters, stamp it out.

You have my support and that of the majority of Evertonians I am sure.

I remember being taken to my first games at Goodison Park by my father. (1978-79 I think, Latchford had a perm!)

I recall there was only one black player on the pitch and every time he came near our part of the crowd there was a torrent of racist abuse hurled in his direction. As a 12-year-old, I was quite shocked at the behavior of these grown men. I had heard things at school of course but nothing to match such vitriol.

I live in Australia these days and have only been to a hand full of matches since but am happy to report that I've not heard any racist comments at any of my returns to Goodison.

If somebody did send the mentioned twitter after the Norwich game they should have their account cancelled and be banned from Goodison. Or alternatively they should be made to stand with the home crowd when we next visit Carrow road, with a sign around his neck showing whatever nonsense was tweeted.

I hate Bassong for scoring against us. I hate all players that score against us; be they black, white, red, yellow purple or a nice shade of puce.

James, I appreciate the lengthy reply and agree with almost all of what you say. Of course certain types of abuse are worse than others and of course there's a line but I don't accept your "preparation for war" bit.

It's only soccer where this acceptable form of abuse exists as far as I know. People trot out the rugby line and get hammered for it because of the stereotype attached to rugby fans. I'm not a rugby fan but I'd much prefer a sport where the ref is respected because he gets to double check his decisions and where a small bit of booing is as bad as the abuse gets.

I watch Gaelic Football (as I'm sure many are sick of hearing on here) and fans react to ref's bad decisions and players bad play by releasing an "ah for fuck sake" every now and again. But calling an opposition player a cunt because he's taking a corner in front of you just bewilders me. And don't try to tell me that soccer fans are more passionate or that there are better atmospheres in soccer stadiums.

Anyway, I don't think I'm going to convert too many and I agree that the priority is to get rid of the worst type of abuse highlighted in the opening piece.

I think fans should only be banned from grounds on the account abuse/racism if they ban players too.

Can't see it happening though. One rule for one....

"A colleague at work is a Spurs fan and black. I might wind him up for doing something dumb, or a football result. He might call me fat or a thieving scouser, but I'd never think it was fine to call him the "n" word out of frustration or as a means to score points."

A bloke got banned from GP the other year for racist abuse. He called Saha a lazy French cunt, I think.

Would he have been banned for calling Neville a lazy Manc cunt? What about opposition fans calling us all thieving scouse bastards? What is the difference? That one is a country and one is a city? What the fuck difference does that make?

As far as I am concerned abuse is abuse. Racism is no more or less harmful than another form of abuse. There is a line between banter and abuse, but not between one type of abuse and another.

Paul,

There's a very obvious reason for that differential rule.. have a go at figuring it out.

There's morons everywhere, including football and Goodison.

Mark- agreed

Ciaran - enlighten me

I know we all dislike Monsewer Clattenberg, but what happened to that guy at Chelsea was just as insidious as any racist comments. Notice how quiet the meeja has become over it. If Clattenberg has any sense, he'll sue the bejaysus out of Chelsea.

Also I'm not seeing the FA docking them 10 points as a warning to other clubs. In other words, if you play the race card and you're found out to be liars, then this will be your punishment.

I'm pretty sure I predicted that this would happen a few years/seasons ago. It didn't take long did it?

Footballers are employed there.

Anyone who goes to Everton away games will tell you that there is a hard core within the away support who bring shame on the club, week-in, week-out, with moronic behaviour and chants.

I gave up getting organised coach travel a couple of seasons back after the rear of the coach thought it hilarious to mock a disabled man as he struggled to climb some steps. Added to that, there was plenty of racist abuse thrown around at any passing non-white, especially in London. The hissing is a regular visitor to Spurs too.

We can take the moral high ground if it makes us feel better but, whilst the overt abuse at Goodison Park has thankfully ceased with our emergence as an ethnically diverse team, there still remains an undercurrent of abuse amongst our travelling support.

Check out some of the YouTube videos of Everton away days and see for yourselves.

George good post. I am with you.

Sean you are dead right, there remains a problem with our away support.

I got into an altercation at Brentford away in the league cup a couple of years ago with a young scrote racially abusing Beckford after he missed the penalty there. This kid was quite simply thick, and I told him to stop which he did not. I figured he was not worth a night in the cells for if I started on him, which I was considering. These days I would film him on my camera phone and send the footage to the club.

At QPR away earlier this year, a bloke in the lower tier was detained by police, much to the distress of his accompanying family. I was told (but cant verify for sure) that this was for racist abuse. If so, he can get stuffed and deserves all he gets. Also at QPR I noticed Anton Ferdinand getting the boos and whistles; no prizes for guessing why. Do some of our players really stick up for John Terry before him? Astonishing and ashaming. And embarrasing. Not in my name.

Agree completely with your post George, but don't pack it in or they win.

Also if you (or anyone else) get the chance, let anyone you see/hear know you won't have it.

There are of course some real savages who it would be wise to avoid, but in the main, they're shit-houses who clam up when confronted.

I pulled a feller up at Anderlecht who was (for reasons best known to himself) giving a nazi salute.

Told him he was a disgrace to Everton and to fuck off away from us.

He mumbled something about "only havin' a laugh" and fucked off.

As Christine suggests. a few good men.

Thanks to those of you who have posted in support of George's original piece above. I've posted a couple of times on here objecting to, for example, religious bigotry and got a couple of reactions critical of what they called "the thought police" and "the PC brigade". Your comments make it more likely that I and others will continue to oppose any bigotry. "The People's Club" should be inclusive of all people.