Source: PA
Vale: Abuse incident serious
Port Vale insist they are taking racist abuse suffered by defender Exodus Geohaghon "incredibly seriously".
Geohaghon said in an interview on Thursday 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 at Vale Park on March 22.
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.
Vale claim 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. 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.
"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.
Geohaghon, who was told a group of "20-30 fans" were waiting for him after the game, said in 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'm not on strike or anything like that. But my life is worth more than football."
