[paulosull]

I. See Brighton manager has complained to FA about chants from Smethwick regarding smelly bong or was it smelly bugger. Seems to think this is racist is it me or has PC gone to far? Feel free to remove topic if it offends.

[TheJacko2000]

The chants have made it into the Guardian match report. While the words 'you smelly bast**d' aren't inherently racist, singling out a black player for specific treatment will always raise eyebrows. Based on our heritage it's disappointing to find ourselves perpetuating bad feeling in this instance and being picked up for it nationally in the media. Drags our reputation further through the mud irrespective of the intent/perceptionof the fans involved.

[Baggies]

The chants weren't racist, they related to the fact Rodriguez said in his defence, that he told Bong to get away as his breath stunk, and not the racist word that had been aledged. As per expected, nobody in the London media, currently looking to drive home the recent stories regarding racism in football, want to notice the difference.

That said, I wouldn't have joined in with boos or chants against Bong. It doesn't look good, it gives people a chance to bash us, and it is unwanted attention, even if the racist claims levelled at us by Hughton and the media aren't true (there isn't a fan base in the country who wouldn't have reacted the same).

I also don't get why neither Brighton nor West Brom fans can possibly comprehend, that a bloke who speaks English as a second or third lanaguage, possibly misheard something somebody else said, and genuinely believed he was racially abused.

Brighton fans are on their high horse on social media this morning, talking s**** about how their booing and chants against Rodriguez are fine but ours were shocking. Absolute b*******. Facts are, football fans together get a pack mentality. They care care little for reason, and act like knobs. That goes for both sets of fans.

[albion59]

We know the truth, we are not a racist club our fans are not racist so who actually gives a toss what anyone else thinks?

[paulosull]

This player tried to ruin another footballers career with a false accusation of racist slander, I hope Hughton made him apologise to Jay for raking his name though the mud before he got up on his high horse. Be delighted to see this lot go down.

[baggiejohn]

The chants have made it into the Guardian match report. While the words 'you smelly bast**d' aren't inherently racist, singling out a black player for specific treatment will always raise eyebrows. Based on our heritage it's disappointing to find ourselves perpetuating bad feeling in this instance and being picked up for it nationally in the media. Drags our reputation further through the mud irrespective of the intent/perceptionof the fans involved.

Just read the Guardian report.

It looks as though the reporter (Paul Doyle) covers teams south of the Thames. Most of his reports have heavy bias towards the "Home" team. Part of his report describes saves by Jonathon Bond from Jay Rod?
There is no mention of the Brighton fans' abuse of J Rod.

[tuamigos]

Hughton should know better than ti try and stir this up.

[don1thedon]

I'd just be so embarrassed if it was our manager whining about this, Hughton does himself no justice at all.

[17GD]

Both teams not letting this ugly incident go. I think WBA fans would have booed bong even if Jay hadn't been booed by the Brighton fans. We're no saints. However, Hughton doesn't need to go to the FA about this, because bong wasn't booed for being black. He was booed because he went blubbing to French media, instead of reporting an incident to the police, in order to try and get a fellow professional into trouble. Even though Jay was found innocent, it has still tarnished his reputation. And it seems as though Hughton wants to carry it on. As a manager, he should be setting an example, not trying to make things worse.

We all need to understand that times have changed and they have changed very quickly. Jokes that people used to just laugh at are now costing people their job. Fashion companies are having to apologise for clothes that appear to have "racist" tone. People are getting into trouble for sexual harassment, when all they did was say something that made another person feel uncomfortable.

We shouldn't be surprised that the media is trying to put a racist spin on it. It's what they do. On twitter last night, it was highlighted that there were two black managers in the dugout. Why?

[ashdoy]

Typical of the world we live on (lots of examples going around at the moment).

I wasnt there last night, but if i was, i'd have booed him. Not because he is black, but because he wrongly accused one of our players of racial hatred.

The whole ethos behind this is ridiculous. This time last year we were mourning a club legend, who was black. We were applauded all over the world both during Regis's playing days right up until last year. Our celebration of his life was a fantastic tribute to a trailblazer.

For christ sake our manager is black, our club legends are black, our current rising stars are black, we (like everybody else in this country) embrace all colours and races - the world needs to stop being so PC.

How anybody can play the racism card under these circumstances is beyond me, and they seriously need to give there head a wobble.

[OldburyWBA]

The topic can stay "for now" however the subject has been changed, this forum is above petty little names and always has been, anything no matter whether its towards one of our own current or former players or officials or opposition teams, players officials will automatically be edited or removed if the posters chooses to insult or abuse their name in any way. You want to do that use others forms of social media, not WestBrom.com

[baggiebof]

I would just add that Rodriguez was not necessarily cleared, the charge was unproven. My view naturally would be to believe Jay but it is not inconceivable that Bong did genuinely mishear him. I think it is best if everyone just moved on from what was an unsavoury incident.

[sie_davo]

One question for me would be why Hughton felt the need to bring him on at all? The game was done (Murray had just scored to put them 2-1 up), so why inflame the situation?

[Atomic]

One question for me would be why Hughton felt the need to bring him on at all? The game was done (Murray had just scored to put them 2-1 up), so why inflame the situation?

I wonder how Hughton would've reacted if JRod had been his player and Bong ours?

It seems to escape his attention that Brighton fans started it last night with the "we know what you are" stuff towards JRod. That seems to be OK with Hughton.

I used to like the bloke, thought he was a solid, decent, bloke but his behaviour throughout this saga has been very disappointing not to mention hypercritical.

I don't have much respect for the bloke now.

[baggies_24]

I hope the Albion come out and invite the FA to look into the Brighton chants accusing a player of been racist. If anyone’s taking the chants against Bong as been racist they don’t know the situation, I think had the Brighton fans stayed quite and not aimed chants at Rodriguez most Albion fans would have done the same with Bong.

[theboywiththe arabstrap]

I really didn't like the booing.  It has a feel of Stoke fans booing Aaron Ramsey to me.  Like, I'm not saying J-Rod said what he was accused of saying, but I think you'd be mad to think Bong made it up or to think he definitely didn't say it.  Feel like it would be a lot more dignified to not boo, though I sort of understand why some did.

[popmonkey]

The only reason it was highlighted in so much national press is because Hughton brought it up in the post-match interview. There wasn't a lot to write home about in the game itself, so they filled the copy with Hughton's comments.

I think we would be best moving on from the subject, as it was concluded a long time ago now. It would've died off straight away if Bong hadn't made follow-up comments after the FA investigation concluded, I think this is what annoyed fans the most.

[AlbionFan]

Personally, I believe our supports club should write to Brighton and apologies for the small number of idiots who would besmirch our clubs name and proud tradition of being against any form of discrimination.

The majority of our supports are decent, fair and reasonable individuals and should not be tainted by the actions that were witnessed last night and reported in today's national press.

The club might also consider a similar action

[TheJacko2000]

Personally, I believe our supports club should write to Brighton and apologies for the small number of idiots who would besmirch our clubs name and proud tradition of being against any form of discrimination.

The majority of our supports are decent, fair and reasonable individuals and should not be tainted by the actions that were witnessed last night and reported in today's national press.

The club might also consider a similar action

Spot on.

[stoxman]

Spot on.

I personally disagree.   To taunt a player about their colour (or sexual orientation etc) is plain wrong and not only against our tradition but also against the law. However, to taunt a player who happens to be black (or Asian/ gay etc) about something else does not constitute racism. We have given plenty of players stick over the years because of either their previous clubs, previous infractions against us or elements of their private life.  We didn’t give boo Stan Collymore because of the colour of his skin but because of his previous allegiance and comments about Albion.  To immediately apologise to a black man booed by a small section of our crowd is to acknowledge that the boos were meant with racist intentions and purely because Bong is black. I think that would be an error.

[tuamigos]

Personally, I believe our supports club should write to Brighton and apologies for the small number of idiots who would besmirch our clubs name and proud tradition of being against any form of discrimination.

The majority of our supports are decent, fair and reasonable individuals and should not be tainted by the actions that were witnessed last night and reported in today's national press.

The club might also consider a similar action

and perhaps their supporters club will write to WBA and apologise for their fans making accusations that JRod was a racist.
I think its another case of some people trying to take the moral high ground.
Whats the difference between insinuating that Bong smells or Berahino is fat, or Andy Carrol smacks women?
Lets all be offended on behalf of someone else.
Barmy.
The world has indeed gone mad.

[wodenson46]

Perhaps the unpunished elbow on the Englishman Sam Field by a foreign national playing for another team should be construed as a racist attack and apologised for by the Brighton manager

[alex1]

The report doesn't state that Hughton was going to report the matter to the FA. He says he heard booing and a chant directed at Bong, but couldn't work out what the words were. It would certainly be bizarre to complain about a chant if you didn't know what was being chanted.
As for booing, it happens every match. For all sorts of reasons. Are we going to have inquests about it after every match. As for the racial element, about at least a third of players come from an ethnic background. Add to that all the foreign players. Are we going to hold inquests on alleged xenophobia every time a boo is directed at such a player? 

[gerry m]

I like and respect Chris Hughton but cannot help feeling he is is trying to deflect criticism away from Andone from being a certain red card.

[AlbionFan]

I like and respect Chris Hughton but cannot help feeling he is is trying to deflect criticism away from Andone from being a certain red card.

Didn’t do he much good, he’s been charged with violent conduct