Gillingham were left disgusted as they condemn alleged racial abuse towards Newport County goalkeeper Nick Townsend on Tuesday night.
A statement was issued two hours after the game: “Gillingham FC is disappointed to have to express its disgust at allegations of racial abuse towards the Newport goalkeeper, Nick Townsend, during the 55th minute of tonight’s game.
“Working with the Kent Police, Mr Townsend and our in-house Safety Team, we have been able to identify the person who is alleged to have shouted the racial abuse. If proven, this person will receive a ban from MEMS Priestfield Stadium.
“As a club we apologise to Mr Townsend and strongly condemn all forms of discrimination. It will not be tolerated at Gillingham FC.”
It came after Gillingham chairman Brad Galinson had written in his programme notes ahead of the game against Newport about the incident and of how proud he was that “no such incidents have occurred since then.”
Newport’s keeper, Nick Townsend, also an Antigua & Barbuda international, is the latest to be allegedly racially abused after Omar Bogle suffered the same thing on the 28th of October 2023. Bogle spoke of it HERE.
GFC reacts to racial abuse.
— Gillingham FC (@TheGillsFC) October 22, 2024
Newport added: “Newport County is extremely disappointed to learn of allegations of racial abuse towards Exiles’ goalkeeper Nick Townsend during the 55th minute of last night’s game against Gillingham.
“Working with the Kent Police, Townsend and Gillingham’s in-house Safety Team were able to identify the person who is alleged to have shouted the racial abuse and the incident is currently being investigated.
“Newport County strongly condemns any forms of racism, prejudice or discrimination and has a zero-tolerance policy towards incidence of such nature.
“Townsend has the full backing of everyone at the football club and we are in constant dialogue with the player, ensuring he has all the support he needs.
“The club would like to place on record its thanks to both Kent Police and Gillingham Football Club for their swift response at the end of the game.
“Newport County will continue to work with the relevant authorities on this matter. ”
Gillingham fell to a 2-0 defeat against Newport, making it the Gills’ fifth consecutive defeat. A much needed performance from the Exiles who ended their own three-game losing run.
Newport had been 2-0 up by half time with thanks to Matt Baker’s volley and Kyle Hudlin’s turn-and-shot.
Gillingham then dominated the second half, however they couldn’t produce a comeback, Nick Townsend having an excellent game in goal to keep the visitors’ lead.
The result means that Gillingham have match their worst losing streak since 2021, fall out of the League Two playoff places from sixth to 11th, while the win for Newport sees them go from 15th to 13th.
Gillingham: Turner, Hutton, Ehmer, Masterson (Wakeling 75’), Clark (Ogie 62’), Coleman, Dieng (Hawkins 63’), Clarke, Lapslie (J. Williams 21’), Nolan (Gbode 62’), Wyllie
Unused Substitutes: Ashby-Hammond, E. Williams
Newport County: Townsend, Baker, Brennan, Jameson, C. Evans, Miley (Antwi 70’), Morris (Whitmore 46’), Kamwa (K. Evans 60’), Wildig, Glennon (Spellman 81’), Hudlin (Baker-Richardson 60’)
Unused Substitutes: Carney, Clarke
Attendance: 5262 (120 away fans)
Referee: Farai Hallam
Post-match thoughts from Mark Bonner.https://t.co/TV7qaKMjQ0#Gills pic.twitter.com/QR6GL97PPc
— Gillingham FC (@TheGillsFC) October 22, 2024
“It’s the most dominant we’ve been in a game, but it doesn’t matter.
“We gave them the game in the first half.
“The run of results we’re on is rotten.
“Horrible night. Horrible result.”
⚽ Mark Bonner on #Gills 0-2 home defeat to Newport County.
👉 https://t.co/o8v6rNrguo pic.twitter.com/w74yInF3Yn
— BBC Sport Kent (@BBCKentSport) October 22, 2024
Twitter users gave their reaction with Gillingham disgusted as they condemn alleged racial abuse towards the Newport goalkeeper…
@keelan_____: Fair play to him for carrying on playing through it, wish something was said/action was taken as soon as it happened to punish the idiot who did it. For other fanbases coming across this, we are a good club, we have good fans, there’s just a few wastes of oxygen who ruin it.
@ME8Gills: FFS. Not again.
@CymruOllie: Absolute credit to Nick & the rest of the team for wanting to carry on when they very easily, and justifiably, could’ve walked off the pitch. I guess it makes the win all the sweeter, but the fact that racism exists in any form of life in 2024 is beyond disgusting.
@rd_npse: What on earth, it happened again?!
@CymruOllie: You could see the ref talking to Nick, then went over to talk to Nelson but I had just assumed Nelson was unhappy with something and the ref was giving him a telling off. Twice in 2 seasons now. Disgusting
@1912Exiles: And that we seem to KEEP EXPERIENCING IT THERE. All clubs have their idiots, but Gillingham seem to have a very clear and very significant problem,
@CymruOllie: Whilst I don’t want these 2 situations to detract from the fact the Gillingham have mostly good eggs, their bad eggs are a lot more prevalent and vocal. I hope the individual gets the education that’s obviously necessary, though I’m not confident after the Bogle incident
@btts_matt: What the hell is wrong with people
@tomesenoglu: That’s why he lost his shit
@GFCSean: If it was the 8 year old kid wouldn’t it be better for the club to educate rather than ban.
@amudennett: It’s unbelievable that we still have so-called fans like this. Stand them up in front of the whole squad and get them to say why it’s OK for them to say it to an opposing player and not to our own. 100% scum. Lifetime ban. #kickitout #gills
@_boomstronk: Again? As you say full credit to Nick and the rest of the team but this is totally unacceptable. The second season running we’ve experienced this and like you, Gillingham fans I’ve met seem ok but there is a real problem within the fanbase.
@TheRainhamEnd_: and to top it all off
@JohnAgate4: Ffs
@neil_last: Well said… name the SCUM…
@VaughanJon: Classy, last season against us and now again this season. No need for it.
@LewisHuitson: Educate these morons please!
@Englishfunk99: WTF, it happened again?!!?!?!!?
@DutchGundersen: Again? Some of our fans need to fuck off.
@PaigeLauren91: Get out of our club. You are not fans. Disgusting.
@William_Downs_: Nahhhh not again 😩
@Only_Gills: Absolute embarrassment to not only the club but the whole town. Its 2024, do better!!! #Gills
@wigmore126: So bloody disappointing
@JKWSport: What must Newport County fans think of our club? Sick of people making an embarrassment of this club from the players to the fan base. #Gills
@ScoopsFM: Disgraceful. Another so called fan, another Newport player. Ban them for life.
@Henry_Htph14: Newport must never want to come here again, 2 years in a row this has happened and yes it’s not the whole fanbase but some stupid idiots ruin it for us
@mcgrortz: We are a joke of a football club, can’t handle losing and resort to this kind of behaviour, sums the night up.
@charlieej_: another win against gills and another one of their fans racially abusing one of our players 🤣 standards for those horrible pricks
@greekjaney1: Happening again 😡😡😡
@Only_Gills: Absolute embarrassment to not only the club but the whole town. Its 2024, do better!!! #Gills
Omar Bogle speaks on being racially abused at Gillingham and wants to see harsher punishments
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