SADLY, football has always had a problem with racism and in recent months this has been highlighted with a number of high-profile cases.

The most recent of which was the video of Chelsea fans chanting vile abuse about Mo Salah.

Before then many black players and managers had spoken openly and condemned the actions of opposition fans.

This is not always easy but in recent weeks there has been a shift in how the public perceives abuse and is willing to call it out when they see it themselves.

There is a more pertinent issue to be tackled. The fact is that football’s problem with racism only tends to become a problem when it affects the larger clubs.

And this I sense has got to do with how these clubs want to be perceived. They will always have a supporter base who are clearly racist but many with worldwide audiences can no longer afford to be tarnished due to the actions of their fans.

It would be just as important for clubs to act in the same way when incidents happen in the lower leagues.

For instance, why on earth were Padiham fined £165 by the Lancashire FA for walking off the pitch after goalkeeper Tony Aghayere was abused by supporters at Congleton?

Why also fine the offending club less?

Football also, I’m afraid, has issues with racism at junior levels, where parents are behaving more like children than their own children.

While the football authorities have been quick to act after allegations of abuse, we will always continue to have those who simply use football to vent their prejudices.

What many will also find a little confusing is that fans tend to be happy to abuse a player of a different colour or religion when he is playing for the opposition. Yet, when that player is on their side none of that matters.

I have written on this issue in the past and recollect the same in the 1980s when I was a child and witnessed these levels of racism on many occasions.

There is an idea that it is perfectly okay to racially abuse an opposition player because he is the enemy.

I must also applaud those who do actually call this out on the side of amateur pitches and in stadiums. When they hear something that is wrong, they will say it even if the reaction is unsavoury. The actions of fellow supporters is probably the best way to rid football of racism.