Kettering Town urges supporters to act after Dan Sweeney racism allegation

Kettering Town have called on supporters to help tackle racism after Redditch United player Dan Sweeney alleged he was racially abused at Latimer Park. BBC Sport reported that the allegation concerned Saturday's Southern League Premier Division Central match, which Kettering won 2-1. The club has issued a public appeal acknowledging that racism is a recurring problem.

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In a statement on Kettering's website, the club rejected the argument that abuse could be dismissed as the behaviour of a small minority. It said silence from other supporters allowed those responsible to damage the club's reputation, including its standing with visiting players, opposition fans and match officials. The appeal asked supporters to consider the example being set for families and the wider community.

The statement also described racist language and abuse on online fan forums, saying the problem extended beyond the stadium. Kettering urged supporters to challenge hateful posts and report abuse heard at matches to stewards, helping the club identify those involved. It stressed the harm racism causes to individuals and their families, and called for a change in behaviour rather than repeated statements alone.

According to BBC Sport, Northamptonshire Police had not identified a report relating to Saturday's allegation when asked for comment. The force said a report might still be awaiting allocation or have been submitted to another force. It added that it would take responsibility if a report made elsewhere concerned an alleged offence committed within Northamptonshire.

Police also acknowledged Kettering's stated work with security staff, stewards and the relevant authorities to identify those responsible, and encouraged anyone who believed they had suffered a crime to contact them. BBC Sport reported that Redditch chairman David Faulkner welcomed those efforts and called for the allegation to be treated seriously, with appropriate action to follow.

Faulkner said tackling racism required leadership and accountability, warning against allowing such incidents to be forgotten after initial attention faded. BBC Sport also noted earlier allegations involving a match official last season and a Redditch player at Latimer Park in 2017. The broadcaster had approached the Football Association for comment.