Rage Online player sponsorship 2008/09

[boris]

I don't mind writing a letter to Sam (or, more likely, an email, but definitely NOT a Facebook message), but I would expect that he has been told by the club that he shouldn't comment on this matter to anyone, so it's unlikely that he'll reply (and similarly unlikely that he'll be able to make a public apology). I could be wrong, but that would be unusual

[chuckbert]

I'd suggest that the most constructive option would be for RO to invite Sam to take part in some kind of Kickout-style activity. If he chose not to then the obvious answer would be to terminate his sponsorship, but if he did take part, it might be a good outcome for all involved.

[yellowportly]

Full marks to the club for responding quickly ... personally I believe you should ask for RO's details to be removed from the sponsorship page in the programme, and the little twits picture removed from front of the site ... but a vote by the original contributors is probably a more democratic route ...

... unless he writes an open letter of apology.

Comments like that, regardless of context, just make me sick

(Apologies for missing apostrophes and incorrectly spelling twit)

[recordmeister]

I think a suitable punishment would be to make him watch a Raging Fever game, early one morning in somewhere like Barton. !

[Ancient Colin]

I feel, with Portly, that we (you) should ask for the sponsorship to be withdrawn. We won't get the money back, but I don't think that the site should be associated in any way with such comments (whatever the &quotextenuating&quot circumstances ... can there be any?) and I am not sure that a public open letter apology is enough to change that view.

[Brahma Bull]

A truly uncomfortable and difficult decision. It is nice to see so many people comment, including those (myself included) who did not contribute to either the Player Sponsorship or the wonderful gesture to purchase his new boots.

I know he was delighted with that gesture. I also suspect he is full of remorse but I would like to make a point or two for what its worth.

My mother works with young delinquent children, kids who for one reason or another have made mistakes, big mistakes and have troubled backgrounds or attitude/rebellious problems. Some of these kids have been discarded for the mistakes and problems they have faced.

These kids need to be understood and educated. The success stories of helping people who have made errors of judgment and mistakes is a truly worthwhile one.

I fully understand the suggestions that RO distances itself from your sponsorship but my gut feeling is that society needs to help people who make errors of judgment (if that is what it is) and therefore, although my opinion counts for little, I would stick by him and support him if he wants the help.

To be derided forever, for what I hope was a mistake, would not be how I would deal with the situation.

Excellent suggestion by Scooter and Boogie about asking SD to reply and comment. In any public apology he should make reference to the support of the people of Rage Online who donated their hard-earned, who he has let badly down.

[Snake]

Good on you Brahma for your compassion, and for helping to put forward the other side of this case.

Meanwhile we have a new striker on loan from Leicester, and as he’s not yet been sponsored and he's only here for a month he could be a cheap option.

Happy start the ball rolling and pledge a tenner for the new Fox in the Box should Rage Online go that way and sponsorship of short term loans is allowed by the club.

[Long John Silver]

I didn't contribute to the RO sponsorship, but there are still some players available if you did decide to swap.

Away shirts of Fisher, Wilmott and Benjamin.

[A-Ro]

I did contribute to both the shirt and boots and I would be perfectly happy to continue the sponsorship if I saw evidence that the lad has learnt from his terrible mistake. He is only 17 and this could (should) be a life changing experience for him. I don't necessarily want him to become the next UN ambassador but the satisfaction of seeing a young man realise the error of his ways and change his way of life for the better would be very gratifying.

I was a scout leader for many years and I can assure you all that children need support more than they need punishment, the eventual outcome is almost always very very rewarding.

[OUFC4eva]

I did contribute to both the shirt and boots and I would be perfectly happy to continue the sponsorship if I saw evidence that the lad has learnt from his terrible mistake. He is only 17 and this could (should) be a life changing experience for him. I don't necessarily want him to become the next UN ambassador but the satisfaction of seeing a young man realise the error of his ways and change his way of life for the better would be very gratifying.

I was a scout leader for many years and I can assure you all that children need support more than they need punishment, the eventual outcome is almost always very very rewarding.

Totally agree with this.

[Matt D]

I don't mind writing a letter to Sam (or, more likely, an email, but definitely NOT a Facebook message), but I would expect that he has been told by the club that he shouldn't comment on this matter to anyone, so it's unlikely that he'll reply (and similarly unlikely that he'll be able to make a public apology). I could be wrong, but that would be unusual

i can understand why he might have been told he shouldn't comment on the matter, but why would he not be allowed to apologise?

[Brahma Bull]

He has to make an apology, a public one in my opinion. I would send the letter/email to Kelvin Thomas to explain the reasons why you require a response.

Unfortunately, TiU has a link to todays National Press (The Sun) which runs with this story.

Due to the media spotlight about to descend onto a young naive 17 year old lad, he needs support and help more than ever.

The worst thing, in my opinion, is for the lad to lose the support he has from some very decent people I the RO community, that covers all of us. He needs to apologise and make reference to the people he has badly let down, including himself.

[Mally]

I contributed to both the sponsorship and the boots. He's obviously an idiot but then again so are the vast majority of professional footballers. He's also just 17 and whilst that doesn't excuse what he's said it at least suggests that he's young enough to learn and realise how distasteful racist comments and attitudes are. If a 25 year old had done this I think the reponse would be different.

The saddest and most ridiculous part of all this is that the targets of his racial abuse were people who were looking after him - what a complete twat - but hopefully not an irredeemable one.

[Ascension Ox]

I contributed to both the sponsorship and the boots. He's obviously an idiot but then again so are the vast majority of professional footballers. He's also just 17 and whilst that doesn't excuse what he's said it at least suggests that he's young enough to learn and realise how distasteful racist comments and attitudes are. If a 25 year old had done this I think the reponse would be different.

The saddest and most ridiculous part of all this is that the targets of his racial abuse were people who were looking after him - what a complete twat - but hopefully not an irredeemable one.

Not one of your brighter comments.

[boris]

Thanks for the comments everyone - please keep them coming. I'm pleased that there are few knee-jerk reactions but generally everyone, whether in favour of withdrawing sponsorship or continuing, is being quite considered.

I think one of the problems that Sam faces is that in professional football there is a culture where casual racism is commonplace. This must make it harder for a young kid to determine what and what isn't acceptable outside of that context. It's not helped by the fact that many of the victims of this racism can't, or don't, speak out, often because of fear of ostracism, and often because there are no support networks available - almost everyone in positions of power and influence within the game are both white and brought up within the same context. Obviously this is too big a problem for us to address here, but maybe it's something that we need to bear in mind when determining what action to take with regards to LSD (if ever the headline Bad Acid was just begging to be used...