Blues U23s manager and former England international Kieron Dyer says he witnessed “English football at its worst” both during and after Sunday’s Euro 2020 final at Wembley and firmly backs ex-Town defender Tyrone Mings’s comments regarding home secretary Priti Patel.

Dyer, 42, attended Sunday’s game in which England were beaten 3-2 on penalties by Italy after a 1-1 draw.

Following the match the three players who missed their spot-kicks, Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, were on the receiving end of racist abuse on social media.

Dyer, capped by England 33 times during his playing days, said he saw the ugly side of football in this country.

“I was actually at the game at Wembley, I saw English football at its worst with regards to the fans before the game, after the game, rioting and trying to get into the stadium, just fighting each other in the streets, just drunken fights,” he told Mark Murphy’s breakfast programme on BBC Radio Suffolk (3hrs 17mins 37 secs).

“And when the penalties were going on, I don’t know if you’ve read my book, but I spoke about one of the big things about playing for England being the fear.

“And I feared for Saka as he was walking up. I wasn’t worried about him keeping us in the competition, I knew that if he missed the stick that would be coming his way would be vile. And that’s proven to be the case.

“I will say it’s a valid point that if a white player had missed a penalty he would have got stick, but I don’t think it would have been the level of stick that the three black players got.”

While home secretary Patel and prime minister Boris Johnson subsequently spoke out against the social media racism, the duo were widely accused of hypocrisy for failing to condemn fans who booed players taking the knee as an anti-racism statement in the run-up to the competition, most notably by former Blue Mings, who was a member of the Euro 2020 squad.

“England were taking the knee before games and the fans were booing,” Dyer continued. “The players, [manager] Gareth [Southgate] , Harry Kane, the England captain, they all came out and said this wasn’t a political stance, this was what the squad felt was needed to try and get a sense of people feeling equal, equal opportunities for black players, and the England fans were still booing.

“I think Declan Rice made a valid point, he said that when you’re winning, everyone can jump on the bandwagon, you find out who the real fan is when you lose.

“And again, it’s taken England to lose and three black players to miss important penalties and we’re here again with this vile abuse.

“I 100 per cent agree with Tyrone Mings, I think she’s a hypocrite, I think Boris Johnson’s a hypocrite, them coming out and saying 'this is all wrong'. They were part of the problem initially. They didn’t get behind this at the start when it needed it.”

Should Patel, Johnson and Ipswich MP Tom Hunt, who spoke out against taking the knee suggesting the England squad should be making their point in a different way rather than via “divisive political gestures”, have shown solidarity with the players from the beginning?

“One hundred per cent. When he [Hunt] says we need to come and show a different way of getting the message across, the only different message I can see is black players refusing to play for England,” Dyer reflected.

“OK, we’ll do that then and what is going to come from that? Black players suffer, the white players suffer, the England football team suffers.

“They came up with a policy they thought would work to show that they won’t stand for racism, it hasn’t worked and it’s sad that we’re here.

“The only reason I went to Wembley was because I wanted to witness history, I wanted to be there to say ‘I was there’ and I come out of that stadium with all the trouble that was happening seeing the ugly side of the English game.”

Regarding the social media companies, Dyer added: “I was on one of the TV platforms, it might have been Sky, and they asked me these same questions and I said it just goes to show how important racism is to certain people that when there was this European Super League, the whole country, every single presenter, every platform was up in arms going crazy about this - ‘they’re ruining our game’.

“It was like the end of the world. I wish they showed the same energy about racism and taking the knee.

“We had three days of staying off social media. Do me a favour. Why doesn’t every top sports star come off social media for the whole year? Let’s see what Twitter and Instagram would do then. I’m telling you now, they would help these people straight away because they need these superstar talents who have got millions and millions of followers.”

Photo: TWTD

ElephantintheRoom added 16:52 - Jul 13 We live in curious times when the England football players consistently shame our hopeless, hapless government simply by being decent, caring human beings rather then self-serving bandwagon jumpers that our one public servants have become. Meanwhile Gareth Southgate has transcended sport simply through decency and an ability to unite and communicate. I'm not sure Ive seen anything quite so impressive from a sports manager in my lifetime.

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Europablue added 16:54 - Jul 13 IpswichToon I always understood the dislike of England being that we saw ourselves as being on the same level as the great national sides like Germany, Italy, and Brazil, when we haven't achieved anything apart from one World Cup a long time ago. I always felt that banning all English teams from Europe was unreasonable considering that it was only certain teams and their supporters who behaved badly.

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Suffolkboy added 16:55 - Jul 13 Unfortunately our politicians rarely base anything for public consumption on anything other than what they ‘hope ‘ will ‘buy ‘ them the most votes . Honesty , integrity ,ethical reaction and principled thoughts and courageous action and leadership do not figure highly ( sadly if ever ) ! Sadly not much has changed in this respect in my life time ; we can hope ,but generally those hopes and aspirations for a better contribution from our .'leaders ‘ will be dashed or pushed aside ! So Dyer and Mings deserve our support ,and great credit to them for speaking out ! COYB

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senduntd added 16:56 - Jul 13 Its these two and our beloved conservative party that has created the conditions to encourage racists.
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northernblues added 16:56 - Jul 13 Did anyone call out Denmark team for not taking the knee? I assume by the comments on here they must be racist?
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Europablue added 16:57 - Jul 13 ElephantintheRoom What I saw was a manager that was great at making his team feel together, bringing together players from different clubs, but who was tactically one-note and who was afraid at attacking when we really needed to.
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Vanisleblue2 added 16:59 - Jul 13 I recommend everyone to look at statistics regarding discrimination and prejudice whether over her in North America or in the UK, and walk a day in any minorities shoes throughout the years. This platform is to discuss Ipswich Town and that is why I read it.
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Europablue added 17:01 - Jul 13 Vanisleblue2 Try to express your position intelligently and eloquently.
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Bert added 17:01 - Jul 13 Sorry to say Europablue but the national flag of England has already been adopted by the far right white supremisists and that's why I can no longer fly it. Just to be clear, 62was best, I am ashamed when supporters boo another country's national anthem but it is not as personally insulting and racist as booing those who are taking the knee to support players of colour. You are right that it is disrespectful and wrong and I am embarrassed by it and would wish it to stop. There will always be margins of right and wrong in football supporters' behaviour because of age old rivalries and tribal instincts but most people know where the the line should be drawn and I think the vast majority of Ipswich supporters know where it is.

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blu_dru added 17:07 - Jul 13 Northernblues - no one said everyone has to do it. But booing people who are just trying to support an anti-racism stance is out of order. I don't understand why footballers kneeling down for two seconds before kick off makes some people SO angry?
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PackwoodBlue added 17:11 - Jul 13 The behaviour of so called 'fans' storming the turnstiles, the treatment of our black players following the game and the treatment of the Italian fans during and after the game, including verbal abuse and seriously violent physical assaults endured and experienced, makes feel sickened and ashamed to the core.
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BurleysGloryDays added 17:21 - Jul 13 In no way a defence of that set of ignorant England fans, who should be called out and ideally, if they have broken laws, be pursued and prosecuted. But others looking on need to recognise the scale of problems they have. I was shocked at racism among Italy fans (heralding from various other countries too, that had adopted Italy for the night) towards England players during and after the final. It was rampant, bewildering, and 'normal'. Lightyears behind where even England is. England is for its part is trying to confront this issue head on. And, I hope we are successful - asap.

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BurleysGloryDays added 17:25 - Jul 13 Bert - I'm also ashamed/embarrassed when our fans boo other National Anthems. Unnecessary and insecure. It lacks the decency that I identify with England and English people. It should be enough to celebrate our own with conviction and out-sing the oppo.
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Nobbysnuts added 17:26 - Jul 13 I see if you don't agree with taking the knee on this site your post gets taken down. What a joke .....phil
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Jugsy added 17:30 - Jul 13 Europablue - I didn't miss your point at all, your compared racism and communism, you said it's bad not to oppose racism and communism, you called them both evil. The mere fact you think those are comparable shows a deep imbalance. Also, a well trodden discussion, none of the football players are promoting the BLM political movement in the US. Stating Black Lives Matter is a view point that there is deep inequality in society that needs awareness and addressing. These guys taking the knee are promoting that voice, not a political group. The fact our leaders in the UK couldn't see that and actively defamed it, encourages horrific behaviour within society that those 3 lads are now experiencing. It's appalling. Taking the knee is using their platform to create visibility to the issue, to show unity and togetherness. It's beggar's belief and cruel minded to willingly misinterpret these positive actions. And everyone harping on about the 'millionaires' causing a scene - these guys are donating their earnings to the NHS and associated charities from the Euros. Something that wouldn't be required if our hapless government didn't keep stripping resources out of our national welfare services. So explain to me again, how is taking the knee a bad thing? Is the issue that it proves to you that you don't do enough to promote equality and togetherness among your fellow man? Or is that too much like communism for your liking?

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BurleysGloryDays added 17:33 - Jul 13 Steve_ITFC_Sweden - I know you were pointing to reputation rather than reality, but it's too easy and convenient to layer it on Britain and England. These people are in all societies and all need to work hard to fight it. England often targeted, called a Pariah for ulterior reasons (things like Brexit). Let's be careful it's not used as a fig leaf by others not confronting these issues - or their yobbish fans. Ask Morata's wife what she thinks of Italian fans, when they were threatening to burn her house down with the children in it if she posted to social media a celebration of the Spain equaliser in the semi-finals. And what support from many nations for racism with taking a knee? Where was the leadership from other nations here? Scotland 'agreed' to support England's stance in that fixture - it's limp gestures at best, and following *England's* lead. Many European nations have little to no diversity, and little to no understanding of multicultural society. And show little support for it.

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happybeingblue added 17:35 - Jul 13 The level of ignorance is beyond comprehension sometimes, thats the reality of living in England.
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Marinersnose added 17:44 - Jul 13 Having attended a huge number of England's games over the past twenty years I have to say that this is nothing new. Unfortunately there are a minority of serious racists who attend those matches and don't appear to be in anyway interested in the teams performance. I don't mean drunken yobs but domestic extremists who are blatant racists. When I used to take my young son he couldn't understand why they screamed abuse at their own Black players. England are not alone but for me more Police need to be inside the ground mingling with fanes to identify culprits. This problem has been festering for too long. Unfortunately when drinking and emotions become involved some mentally challenged individuals jump on the bandwagon. Sad times when we have such a talented squad of players.

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Swoody added 17:56 - Jul 13 You are never going to get rid of racism as the people that are sending these messages are thick low life, they are the same people that blurt out offensive words to fat, ginger, disabled people etc etc the best way to eradicate them is to not give them any air time.
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borge added 17:58 - Jul 13 I was there too and equally proud and disgusted at being English (the latter isn't something I have ever said, nor something I ever thought I would say). Proud because of the team and the vast majority of fans, but disgusted because it was just a seething pit of the worst elements of society. Gangs of people trying to bully and force their way in, coercing others to help them. Massive disregard for the safety and well-being of others both from a COVID perspective and just in general terms. Horrific attitudes towards fellow fans and the Italian fans, some of whom had the misfortune to have tickets in the 'English' section. I only felt safe when I was in my seat and even then people were kicking drinks all over the place and a guy kept coming up to the back to smoke a spliff! What I would say is that the majority were well-behaved, sporting and good natured, but I doubt this was easy to tell on TV. The majority where I was actually clapped the Italian national anthem rather than booed it. Just a shame that the decent folk were drowned out by the minority.

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 18:08 - Jul 13 Spot on Europa . Couldn't put it better .
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Crinkle59 added 18:43 - Jul 13 one thing is missed in all this ,the main reason for racism IS FEAR as ! was was told by a black chap who lived here from war time when in the fifties he said that when he was ignored , no threat,But when many blacks came we would be scared they might take over - jobs houses any and everything the maion racism
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Churchman added 18:44 - Jul 13 The England players, manager, Dyer and people like Neville have been spot on on this. Well done them. The nausea inducing politicians are wrong, just as they are with just about everything else.They are pitiful. I actually think a lot of progress has been made on racism in my lifetime, but there is a considerable amount to do to combat ignorance and bigotry.
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Lukeybluey added 19:22 - Jul 13 The sad thing is that when the three fellas missed the penalties, you knew what was going to happen.... I don't know what the answer is, but a good start would be to make social media less anonymous I would think? Society seems to be getting more aggressive, self centered and dangerous now a days...
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Bert added 20:01 - Jul 13 What does hearten me is that the vast majority of posters on here endorse the need to stand up to racism. Also, in the main, those who have a different view about taking the knee have tried to explain their position in a cordial way. Let's keep it like like.
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