I have been a fan of Derby County since 1969. Since my 5th birthday. During the forty odd years of watching the game the examples of racism and racist chanting has risen and then fallen. It hasn't fallen as quick as it rose though.
What are you talking about? When did it rise! Is questions I have been asked often by younger fans.
Well, when I first started watching the game, there were so few foreign or even black players in teams. I remember Clyde Best of West Ham and struggle to think of another black player from those days.
Those were the days when Rudolph Walker and Jack Smethurst were two actors paid to trade black and white racist insults in the name of comedy! Love thy Neighbour was the show, and Walker and Smethurst were friends off screen. But the insults that they traded were real reflections of societies attitude to the Black community.
Warren Mitchell was a small screen star playing the small minded, bigoted, West Ham supporting Alf Garnett. Mitchell was nothing like the screen character and once told a racist fan of the show that he was taking the Mickey out of people like Garnett and not those at the receiving end of his abuse.
Edging towards 50 I can recall many people with that attitude in the past. Thankfully the worst racism I have experienced at football wasn't at my beloved Derby County. That's not to say I haven't heard such filth coming out of fans mouths at the Baseball Ground or Pride Park.
The worst example I ever saw was at a then fourth tier club.
Whenever Derby aren't playing I often feel the need to watch a game somewhere else. I love the game and could even spend an afternoon watching a Sunday league side.
I actually live in Lincoln and they have often been graced by my presence in the stands when the Rams haven't had a fixture. My brother is a regular at Sincil Bank.
Back in the seventies I witnessed their home fans harass Cec Podd of Bradford City,with racist chants all the way through a game. The player was obviously upset by the sickening comments coming from the terraces.
A few years later, a friend at work invited me to watch The Imps one Wednesday evening. Although the racist comments were not as loud on the previous occasion, they were this time aimed at a home player. Devon White getting racist abuse from his own supporters.
I don't mean to pick on Lincoln City as I have encountered such behaviour at nearly all grounds over the years.
Nowadays we have the kick it out campaign, but it is worthless and meaningless if our own pro players themselves are caught using racist language. Even more meaningless if any of their fellow pros show the offender support.
With so many players now in the game coming from so many different cultural backgrounds it is surprising that there still are so few black managers. Some aren't even getting to the interview stage when jobs are up for grabs! Why? There's plenty of talent out there waiting for a chance. The Late Keith Alexander, Paul Ince and Chris Powell have done good jobs for various clubs, yet so few black pros are given a second look.
Michael Johnson the former Derby, Notts County and Birmingham player is a great pro. The guy gave his all on the pitch. He is a gent off the field. I'm amazed that such a professional is not in a senior coaching position.
In the NFL clubs must at least interview a black applicant for coaches positions. This is called the Rooney Rule. It itself has been challenged and called racist itself!
The fact that we are now in 2013 and we have to discuss these issues shows us all how in 
the last 40 years we have failed to make enough progress against racism or any other kind of bigotry.
Homophobia has hardly been touched on!
I myself hate all discrimination, racism, sexism, homophobia and all other forms.
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