Chris Wreh rules himself out of Tamworth match over approach to racist abuse

Tamworth striker Chris Wreh made himself unavailable for selection on Tuesday after claiming he has not been supported by the club after receiving racist abuse online.

The 28-year-old was targeted on social media after Sunday’s FA Cup third round defeat by Premier League Tottenham, in which he was introduced as a late substitute.

He revealed the abuse, which appeared in an Instagram post, after the game, and took to social media once again on Tuesday evening to explain his absence from the National League club’s squad for a Birmingham Senior Cup tie against Boldmere St Michaels.

Wreh wrote: “I have been contacted by the police and as of now, the incident is under investigation. I would like to extend my gratitude to the Tamworth supporters and members of the public who have reached out to offer their support and assistance in identifying the individual responsible.

“Incidents like this highlight the ongoing issue of racism. It is shameful to be racially abused by someone simply because they lost a bet, but sadly this happens all too often.

“Unfortunately, I will not be available for this evening’s game. While I have the utmost respect for my manager, who has supported me throughout this issue, I am disappointed that the club has not publicly supported me yet, which has left me feeling confused and disappointed.

“Although we are all compensated to play football and for many it is a dream job, we are also human beings.

“To date, I have received only one call from an official at the club more than 36 hours after the incident. At no point was I asked if I was okay. Instead, I was informed that the silence was due to a desire to keep the matter internal. I cannot agree with or condone this approach.

“If these incidents are kept ‘in-house’, they will never be addressed. I hope everyone understands my reasons for speaking out.”