John Barnes: ‘I would never advise a young black player to walk off’

The former England forward talks about the racism he experienced and why current players should make up their own minds about walking off if abused at the World Cup in Russia

John Barnes tells a story about a season-ticket holder at Liverpool who would become a friend and whose seat was in front of two men at Anfield having a conversation about Barnes’s proposed transfer from Watford in 1987. “Not sure about black players,” one said to the other. “Don’t know about their character.”

A few months later, on his home debut against Oxford United, Barnes scored a superb goal following a free-kick. The same bloke turned to the other, within earshot of the man who would later relay the tale to Barnes, and said: “You know, he’s not as black as I thought he was.”

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