Middlesbrough’s Ryan Shotton reveals he was subjected to monkey chants last season as he slams Bulgaria racist abuse – The Sun

MIDDLESBROUGH star Ryan Shotton has revealed he was subjected to monkey chants last season in the wake of England’s racism nightmare against Bulgaria.

The Three Lions trounced their Euro 2020 qualifier opponents 6-0 on Monday.

But England’s black players were subject to disgraceful racist abuse throughout the night.

A large group of Bulgarian fans taunted England with monkey noises and Nazi salutes, which were apparently part of an organised plot by twisted Neo-Nazis to deliberately abandon the match.

Four Bulgarian supporters have now been arrested following the resignation of their FA president.

But although UEFA have charged Bulgaria with racist behaviour, throwing objects and disrupting God Save The Queen, England have also had the book thrown at them for jeering their opponent’s anthem as well.

UEFA have just handed down a partially-empty stadium punishment to Lazio for their Europa League home game against Celtic next month after Italian fans subject Rennes players to racist abuse.

And right-back Shotton, 30, told BBC Teeside that he had insults hurled at him last year.

AFTER 17 YEARS OF 'PROGRESS' CAN WE REALLY TRUST UEFA'S WAR ON RACISM?

HERE are examples of how Uefa and Fifa have dealt with incidents of  racist abuse in matches involving the England senior team and Under-21s.

Incredibly, when Uefa’s disciplinary committee  fined Slovakia £27,000 after monkey chants were aimed at Emile Heskey in 2002, the governing body’s own chief executive Gerhard Aigner appealed the decision because he thought it was too lenient.

As a result, the Slovaks were hit with a one-game stadium ban, although the fine was cut to £9,000.

Yet, despite Uefa admitting it should impose tougher penalties, the list below shows little has changed.

OCT 2002: Slovakia v England  (Bratislava). Uefa fines Slovakia £9,000 following racist chants.

SEPT 2003: Macedonia v England (Skopje). Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell and Heskey all subjected to  racial abuse. Hosts fined £16,500 by Uefa.

OCT 2003: England v Turkey  (Sunderland). Uefa fine FA £65,000 for fans’ racist language/gestures.

NOV 2004: Spain v England  (Madrid). Shaun Wright-Phillips and Ashley Cole subjected to monkey chants.  Fifa fines Spain £44,750.

JUN 2007: Serbia U21 v England U21 (Holland). Serbia fined  £16,500 by Uefa after Nedum Onuoha and Justin Hoyte were targeted with abuse.

 SEPT 2008: Croatia v England (Zagreb). Heskey again disgracefully abused. Fifa fine Croatia   £15,000.

SEPT 2011: Bulgaria v England (Sofia). Monkey noises aimed at Cole, Ashley Young and Theo Walcott. Uefa fine Bulgaria £34,230.

OCT 2012: Serbia U21 v England U21 (Krusevac). Danny Rose abused. Serbia hit with a £65,000 fine by Uefa.

MAR 2019: Montenegro v England (Podgorica). Hosts fined £17,000 by Uefa after more monkey chants.

Shotton, in his third season with Boro, said: “Yes, I had an incident last year.

“We didn’t say anything in the media or anything but there was an incident where monkey chants were heard as I went to pick the ball up for a throw-in at a certain club.

“It did not affect me. It is nasty and it is disgusting but I know it is not about football.

“It is in their society and what they have grown up in and that’s up to them.

“They have to grow up knowing that is who they are. I am happy with who I am. I’m proud of who I am.”

Shotton also condemned Bulgaria fans for their behaviour against the Three Lions, and reckons UEFA should punish them with games behind closed doors.

Shotton added: “In my opinion it has got to be games behind closed doors as punishment.

“You can throw as many fines as you want but countries and clubs can afford to pay them.

“But until you make everybody suffer – which sounds terrible that everybody suffers – but everybody has got to stop it.

“Until that happens and everybody suffers then no one will speak up and nothing will change.”

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