A LIFE-long Blackburn Rovers fan in exile has urged the club to make a positive stand on racism after witnessing sickening scenes at a league match at Southampton at the weekend.

The soccer fan, who did not wish to be named for fear of reprisals against members of his family still living in Blackburn, was disgusted by a small minority of the travelling contingent - who chanted racist remarks during the game and subjected the Saints' black defender Ulrich Van Gobbel to a torrent of abuse.

Now he is calling on the club to break its vow of silence to prove the club is no soft touch when it comes to dealing with racist louts.

The Blackburn-born supporter, who has lived in London for the past 15 years, follows Rovers all around the south of England and makes regularly trips to Ewood Park each season.

He is so disgusted by the actions of so-called football fans attached to Rovers that he is sending signed letters of complaint to Blackburn and Southampton police, and to Rovers' chairman Robert Coar.

He said: "This is the first time I have ever witnessed anything like this from Rovers' fans and I never want to see it again. It was disgusting. The abuse started very early in the match and I reported the incident to a police officer but a friend of mine said it happened in another area of the ground as well."

"Blackburn is a multi-racial town and has an increasing following of Asian supporters which is great to see. But such behaviour is despicable and should be stamped out right away. People don't want to see racism in the game and the worrying thing is that it is beginning to creep back in again."

He added: "The club have a tarnished reputation of remaining silent about anything and everything. When it comes to incidents like this that is not very positive and gives the impression that Blackburn Rovers are a soft touch and don't care." The shocked fan's friend, also based in London, left the ground is disgust at half time after a group of about 20 fans chanting fascist slogans turned on him when he defended a middle-aged woman offended by their comments.

In an e-mail message sent to the Blackburn Citizen, the man, who did not wish to be named but who is also sending a letter of complaint to the police authorities and to Rovers, stated: "At Southampton I became aware at first hand of Rovers' fascist following.

"I was sat with an old friend about three rows from the front at the far end of the away side. Around us were about 10 men in their early 20s.

" Three at the front tried to display an Ulster flag whilst their mates sang 'No Surrender to the IRA'. When the game started they subjected Van Gobbel, Southampton's black defender, to racist abuse.

"This group were obviously followers of the British national party, our main fascist, racist party.

"After Southampton scored I became involved in an argument with the member of their group who was sat next to me. A middle-aged woman a couple of seats away had taken exception to his language.

"He was abusing her for objecting! I had to help her...but police took no action because they were concerned it may spark a major incident."

Chief Inspector Paul Reynolds, of Blackburn Police, said he would await any letter of complaint but added: "Obviously we treat matters like this seriously but Rovers fans generally have a very good reputation."

Nobody at Blackburn Rovers was available for comment at the time of going to press.

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