Vale: Abuse incident serious

28 April 2011 20:30

Port Vale have insisted they are taking racist abuse suffered by defender Exodus Geohaghon "incredibly seriously".

Geohaghon said in an interview that he has not trained for the past month after becoming the target for vitriolic and racist abuse from a group of Vale supporters, although the club say one supporter was responsible.

The 26-year-old, on loan from Peterborough, was barracked by some home supporters after a 3-0 League Two loss to Accrington Stanley on March 22. Vale insist they have acted and chief executive Perry Deakin said: "The club has fully co-operated with the Football Association following an incident of racist chanting after the team's defeat to Accrington Stanley."

Deakin added: "The video shows this was an isolated incident of abuse from one of our supporters and is not representative of the majority of Port Vale supporters, who do not and would not behave in this manner.

"The club has taken this incident incredibly seriously and has launched a number of measures, including covert surveillance in the stands and appeals through media sources from club officials, including the manager.

"Racism has no place in football. We are committed to identifying and banning any supporter who uses racist abuse in any circumstance at Vale Park."

Geohaghon said he was told a group of "20-30 fans" were waiting for him after the game. On advice from the Professional Footballers' Association, he has since stayed at home in Birmingham and says nothing has been done to prevent further problems.

He admitted he did shout back at initial jibes as he left the field but the situation escalated as objects were thrown at him and the abuse became more sinister. He says he was then pulled into the dressing room by team-mates and staff and later told a group were still waiting for him.

Geohaghon told the Daily Mirror: "Nobody knows who they are and when it comes to training the training ground is easily accessible. So as no measures have been put in place since then the PFA have told me to stay at home. I still haven't heard anything and neither have they.

"I'm not on strike or anything like that. There is the opportunity to go back and train. But my life is worth more than football. Not that I am scared or anything, but there is nothing to prevent another incident."

Source: PA