'Clarke had to go for so many things other than saying coloured'- ex-England footballer says
11 November 2020, 08:38
Ex-England footballer John Barnes told LBC's Nick Ferrari that Clarke had to go "for so many things other than saying coloured."
Greg Clarke resigned as chairman of the Football Association in the wake of his remarks to MPs.
Clarke was forced to apologise after he used the word "coloured" before a Digital, Culture, Media, Sport committee.
The ex-footballer told Nick that "just saying coloured" is not the sole reason the ex-chairman should have resigned.
"In terms of the things he's said and done in the past, it is the right thing for him to go," Mr Barnes said.
When Nick asked what were the other reasons that Clarke should have gone, Mr Barnes said: "He gave three of them yesterday."
Citing comments made by Clarke on gay people, Mr Barnes said he was "no different" to the majority of people in institutions headed by "oafish dinosaurs, old white men."
When Nick challenged the ex-footballer over his comments, Mr Barnes said, "old white people" were running institutions.
The ex-England star said the main issue was "the perception of a Black man's intellect."
He told LBC the next chairman of the FA should be "somebody who understands inclusion and diversity."
The FA said: "We can confirm that Greg Clarke has stepped down from his role as our chairman.
"Peter McCormick will step into the role as interim FA chairman with immediate effect and the FA Board will begin the process of identifying and appointing a new chair in due course."
Clarke was also criticised by anti-discrimination group Kick It Out after saying that black and South Asian people had "different career interests" from each other, and also drew complaints for saying a coach had told him that the lack of women's goalkeepers was due to girls not liking the ball being kicked at them.
Stonewall UK was among those who condemned Clarke when he insinuated that being gay was a "life choice".
