Warburton: ‘I understand exactly what Brentford mean’

decided to stop taking a knee before their games as they believe the gesture has lost its original meaning and is no longer having an impact in the fight against racism and discrimination.

manager

Mark Warburton

said:

"I understand exactly what Brentford mean, it can't be a token gesture. Clap for Carers was for eight or nine weeks and then I hear people saying 'I'm not sure tonight’.

"There's no lack of respect for the NHS and what they're doing but it loses momentum and impetus and we can't have a society that allows an individual to get on a social media platform and volley a torrent of abuse at someone, racist or otherwise, and think that's acceptable - it can't be right.

"It's down to each individual, it's down to each separate club. Les made his point clear, so did Lee Hoos and so did myself, we came out very strongly.

"You want to make sure you see positive change, we're all aware of the situation, all aware of the incidents of late which have been appalling in nature. It takes more than just words to deal with these incidents.

"As a football community and society in general we've got to do more. I read Brentford's statement with interest but QPR are a very progressive club, they are the most diverse club I'm sure in the Football League they want to be forward leading in these types of areas so Brentford's actions, I fully understand it.

"From our point of view as a football community we've got to get together and we've got to do more."

English football players started to take a knee before their matches in June to highlight racial inequality issues because of the death of George Floyd.

The gesture was started and popularized by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016 and was then taken by the Black Lives Matter movement.

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