SCOTT Sinclair has spoken of his shock at being subjected to racist abuse during Saturday’s 5-1 Old Firm league match at Ibrox and said it is high time that such behaviour is kicked out of football.
TV footage showed a Rangers supporter making a monkey gesture towards the Celtic forward after he scored the Parkhead side’s opening goal from the penalty spot at the weekend. While he and his team-mates were entirely unaware of the incident at the time, he said it was the first time he had experienced such abuse during his entire career and insisted that he was not prepared to let it affect him.
“It is just one of those negative things that seems like it is always going to be around in football,” said Sinclair. “It is a minority of people but it is always going to be there. But we want to kick out because I think there is no need for it. I don’t think there is any need for anything like that in football or society.
“Obviously it’s very shocking,” said the Englishman about the process of viewing the images back. “This is the first time [it has happened to me in Scotland], and I think the first time in my career so I was quite taken aback by it. But it is a minority of people and you just have to get on with it. All my team-mates have obviously got right behind me, because they didn’t obviously realise it at the time, just like I didn’t.”
Sinclair, speaking as he was named on the shortlist for the PFA Scotland player of the year award, said that the incident would not change the affection he feels for Scotland and Glasgow in particular. The 28-year-old has put down strong roots at Parkhead.
“There are always going to be people like that and I have just got to carry on with my football and keep enjoying it,” he said. “There is a minority of people who are going to try and bring you down. I’ve just got to rise above it.”
Sinclair was joined on the player of the year shortlist by team-mates Moussa Dembele and Stuart Armstrong, and Aberdeen’s Jonny Hayes.
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