Ireland international and Blackburn Rovers defender Derrick Williams has spoken out about racial abuse he received online by a Rovers fan.
Speaking to the Lancashire Telegraph the Waterford man says ‘it does affect you, I don’t care what anyone says’.
“It really annoyed me and got under my skin to be fair.
“You see it so much, it’s sad to see.
“I don’t know what people are going to do to try and prevent it. It’s a tough one.
“But it did affect me massively, particularly with it being our own fan.
“The club has helped me a lot with that, with their ban, and it was good to see the club react the way it did.
“Personally I would have liked to see more from the Kick It Out group, they didn’t contact me or anything like that.”
The club recently suspended a person from attending matches at Ewood Park after Williams was racially abused on social media.
Speaking about the incident, Rovers took to twitter to make a statement.
“Rovers wish to remind supporters that the club will not tolerate discriminatory language after Derrick Williams was subjected to racist abuse on social media.
“The individual has been dealt with by the police and suspended from Ewood Park pending the completion of the legal process.”
Rovers wish to remind supporters that the club will not tolerate discriminatory language after Derrick Williams was subjected to racist abuse on social media. The individual has been dealt with by the Police & suspended from Ewood Park pending the completion of the legal process. pic.twitter.com/xOjwPaQLve
— Blackburn Rovers (@Rovers) March 14, 2019
Williams signed with the club in 2016 moving over from Bristol City.
A part of the Irish international squad, the Rovers defender was born in Germany to American and Irish parents and spent his childhood between America and Tramore, Co. Waterford.
