Has Raheem got a point?

[DelroyFacey22]

The fan has said he called him a Manc c*nt, as quite a few people suggested as an alternative based on the lip reading expertise of twitter users and fans that were around him, including the black guy that everyone seems to be questioning the integrity of has said that they didn't hear anything racist and some have said they've been going for 20 years and not heard anything racist said around there.

The fan has also lost his job. Can't see how "manc" or "black" will ever be proved categorically but non racist "abuse" of players is part and parcel of football whether you like it or not.

[kill_the_drum]

Can you say it definitely isn’t?

What other reason is there for reporting what they have reported?

No. I can’t. And I’m not comparing how Sterling lives his life to other players, just making the point that the press will vilify anyone if it sells papers. Beckham made a mistake on the pitch and was hounded out of the country!
In my opinion if Rooney had the same tattoo as Sterling it would have been reported in the same way, because some people are interested in that kind of garbage!

[Bohinen]

Sterling was definitely racially abused by Chelsea fans, but if he hadn't been black, they would still have abused him. That's Chelsea fans for you, and also West Ham. Not every club has racist fans though, Man United and Liverpool really don't and their fans take a dim view of that kind of thing.

But, and it's a big but, not all black players get abuse. Marcus Rashford is far more popular than Sterling when he plays for England, despite many fans disliking Man United. But then again, he doesn't have a gun tattooed on his leg and hasn't asked to be left out of England games because he was 'tired'.

[Notsohumblepie]

Sterling was definitely racially abused by Chelsea fans, but if he hadn't been black, they would still have abused him. That's Chelsea fans for you, and also West Ham. Not every club has racist fans though, Man United and Liverpool really don't and their fans take a dim view of that kind of thing.

But, and it's a big but, not all black players get abuse. Marcus Rashford is far more popular than Sterling when he plays for England, despite many fans disliking Man United. But then again, he doesn't have a gun tattooed on his leg and hasn't asked to be left out of England games because he was 'tired'.

Dead right !
Notts fans loved Shola Ameobi, and hated Paul Ince.
Does that make them racist, or just good judges of character.

[Freeman25]

Sterling was definitely racially abused by Chelsea fans

I think you don't know what the word definitely means, it means "Without doubt" and there is absolutely some doubt as lip reading football fans don't happen to be definitive proof or experts in the matter of reading lips.

Reading someone's lips when you're expecting something can result in multiple outcomes, there's a very popular youtube channel called Bad Lip Reading that puts word in athletes/actors/politicians mouths etc and it's usually pretty funny but also shows that lip reading isn't a science.



You've also used "fans" plural, so who else do you know "definitely" racially abused Sterling?

Not every club has racist fans though, Man United and Liverpool really don't and their fans take a dim view of that kind of thing.

I can't speak for Man United fans but...

[queenslandpie]

'Pound' Sterling (as I call him) gets a rough ride on Notts Mad especially when he plays the race card but it would appear that this time he has a point, having been called a black canute at Chelsea (according to press stories).
Is the dislike of Sterling nothing to do with being black but down to his underwhelming England performances? Or the inflated money he 'earns'? (Remember the machine gun tattoo?)
I also see that throwing banana skins on the pitch is back in fashion at certain venues.
Stan Collymore has spoken up strongly in Sterling's defence and used it to underline that the game still has a race problem, citing that old chestnut, the lack of black managers and /or black administrators.

Fair points Sid. I dont like the bloke as I think he is a bit of a **** in the same way that many other professional footballers ( some white, some black) are also a bit of a ****. His performances for England dont help him but he just comes across as a prat. I think he's a bit of **** in the same way that I think Sol Campbell is and John Terry is. That's about it really.

[queenslandpie]

Dead right !
Notts fans loved Shola Ameobi, and hated Paul Ince.
Does that make them racist, or just good judges of character.

Exactly! They also hated Jamie Fullarton bascially for the same reason as Ince. Not fit for the job!

[i961pie]

Hahaha wow. Ok. I will play. How can Stirling be compared to any of the players you mention? Rooney was vilified for shagging a granny, then drink driving whilst with some tart. Beckham for smashing his PA and being stupidly sent off against Argentina. Gazza had different issues, alcohol and knocking his ex wife about... all very much reportable, and interesting. Stirling’s worst crime is that he is less boring than Kane? Is it just me that thinks that the whole Stirling coverage is moronic?
Why does the amount of money he earns matter? Why should his choice of tattoo make news? What he buys with his money? People have questioned his commitment to football, yet he has improved to be one of the best footballers in the Premiership.
The media should leave the bloke alone, unless there is something worth reporting on.

Couldn't agree more.
I was listening to Jamie Carragher who played with Sterling at Liverpool, he says the perception people have of Sterling is totally wrong.