The article by Romania’s best selling newspaper
Essex Senior League side FC Romania are set to lodge an official complaint with the FA after claiming they are regular victims of racism and rough treatment.
It comes after Gazeta Sporturilor, Romania’s biggest selling paper, reported on the club’s concerns yesterday in a story headlined “Scandal in England”.
Manager Ionut Vintila told the newspaper FCR was persecuted ‘because they speak another language’ and said ‘dirty things happen’ and there were ‘incredible decisions’.
Vintila told the newspaper: “They mock us, our families and sponsors… because we speak another language.” It is unclear who the ‘they’ are.
The newspaper article also included pictures of grisly injuries that Vintila had tweeted following an FA Vase game against Tring Athletic.
He tweeted the photos to the FA and asked: “Anyone could tell me why referee missed this?”
Tonight Vintila told us: “In modern football racism isn’t ended and you hear things said to you on the pitch.
“But FC Romania ignore and want to play football.”
Asked on Twitter what happens next, he tweeted: “Saturday we are gonna have a meeting with our members and probably we’ll send an official letter to The FA.”
If the club goes ahead with its complaint, it would be the second time the FA has investigated negative attitudes towards FC Romania.
In 2014, the then Great Wakering Rovers player-manager Dan Trenkel was fined, banned for five games and sent on a training course over offensive tweets about FCR and Romanian people.
Clapton fans welcoming FC Romania to the Old Spotted Dog a few seasons back
Clapton fans have built up a close bond with FC Romania over the years, including welcome banners, tifos and chants in the wake of the Trenkel incident.
Ahead of the Tons’ away trip to FCR on Wednesday, Vintila told us: “The Clapton fans every time are fantastic and for this I would like to say a big THANK YOU! For us it means a lot.”
An Essex Senior League spokespetson told us: “Unfortunately the league are not able to assist you with your article.”
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