Rochdale groundsman given six-week ban for racist comment to football broadcaster

Rochdale groundsman Josh Haigh has been banned for six weeks for racially abusing a football broadcaster by saying he had “f—— s— hair” and “s— skin”.

Haigh twice confronted the presenter, who was not named by an Football Association independent commission, when they walked across the pitch after the League Two defeat to Stockport on February 21.

“Look at your f—— s— trainers. It’s exactly the same as your f—— s— hair and your s— skin. I see all of it. I see everything that’s about you,” Haigh was alleged to have said. He denied the claims but the commission ruled that he was not a “credible witness” and “on the balance of probabilities” he was guilty of the offence.

Haigh confronted the broadcaster despite other people being on the pitch after the final whistle of the match. On the second occasion he approached the complainant he was joined by another groundsman which he described to the commission as “the meat”.

The presenter was said to be shaken after the incident and then sent an email to his bosses, detailing how Haigh said “we all know who you are – that f—— fool off TV. You think you are special”

“[Mr Haigh] shouted more abuse about ‘my black converse resembling me and my appearance’,” the email added. “Honestly, this is by far the most disrespected and hurt I’ve ever felt at any ground in football…But at no point when I’m at a working environment do I expect to … be sworn at, squared up to and abused while I’m at work and profiled while I’m just trying to do my job. I feel sick to my stomach and to be honest in shock that this still happens.”

Haigh, who has been at Rochdale since 2018 according to his LinkedIn profile, has the right to appeal against the ruling. He must go on an FA educational course and pay £2,000 towards costs.