Derby County are facing a backlash for including Stefano Eranio, sacked as a TV pundit for racist remarks, in their new Walk of Fame but omitting Jack Kirby, a goalkeeper who defied Hitler’s Nazi regime on a pre-war tour of Germany.
The new feature was unveiled at Pride Park ahead of Saturday’s Championship game against Coventry.
It is designed to enhance the Rams heritage on display and supplement statues and images already around the site commemorating legends of the past including Brian Clough, Dave Mackay and Steve Bloomer.
Fans were invited to nominate players and the first 12 inductees were unveiled on Friday with their pictures on the exterior wall of the East Stand. The plan is to add more on a yearly basis.
But not all fans were impressed to see Eranio’s picture in the first swathe.
The Italian winger, a firm favourite with Derby fans during four years at Pride Park from 1997, was sacked by Swiss TV channel RSI after comments about Real Madrid centre half Antonio Rudiger, who was then at Roma, during a 4-4 draw against Bayer Leverkusen in 2015.
Derby County are facing backlash for including Stefano Eranio, sacked as a TV pundit for making racist remarks, in their new Walk of Fame
The Italian played for the Rams for four years from 1997
The new feature was unveiled at Pride Park ahead of Saturday’s home fixture
‘Black players, when they’re in a defensive line, often make certain errors because they’re not concentrating,’ said Eranio, whose later attempts at clarification only made the situation worse.
‘If I’d had to time to explain I would’ve said that I meant black players have never had a school of football in tactical terms similar to ours,’ Eranio said.
‘Rudiger read the situation badly because black players are not accustomed to paying attention to certain details. If they were as detail oriented as us, then they’d dominate the sport, because they have it all when it comes to strength and technique.’
John ‘Jack’ Kirby was a goalkeeper born in 1909 who made 191 appearances in nine years at Derby before the Second World War.
In 1934, the team toured Germany and he stood firm as the only player to resist pressure to perform a Nazi salute before each of the four matches played in four different cities.
Instead, he made a point of turning away from the flags his teammates were saluting.
Kirby died in 1960 at the age of 50 and earlier this year his grave was restored thanks to fundraising led by Derby fan, local historian, teacher and author Kal Singh Dhindsa, who has been campaigning to see Kirby’s courage honoured at Pride Park.
‘Kirby was a symbol of defiance against the Nazis and fascists,’ said Dhindsa. ‘His inclusion would have been a source of immense pride and an excellent opportunity to educate all.
Many Derby fans would rather have seen former goalkeeper Jack Kirby included in the Walk of Fame
‘Instead, Derby County have opened the floodgates to embolden more fans to think in the way Eranio expressed himself.
‘That doesn’t sit right with me and, personally, I would be quite embarrassed to see Kirby up there if he was added at a later date in the company of Eranio.’
Dhindsa has been subjected to personal abuse after voicing his feelings on social media.
‘There are many fans who feel the same way as me but are too afraid to call it out,’ said Dhindsa. ‘There are other fans who will only see a great footballer and have only that stuck in their mind.
‘Then you have the ugly side of football who not only think Eranio was a great footballer but totally agree with his past comments. Nothing will change their opinion, especially if someone like myself has raised these concerns. I’ve heard a lot from these types in the last day or so.
‘Deflecting attention at every opportunity to support Eranio and his views, happy to point the finger at me, call me names, question my allegiance and integrity to my Club and my Country.’
The ugly side of football reared its head at Anfield on the opening night of the new Premier League season when Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo was a target for racist abuse.
Dhindsa added: ‘What troubles me the most is that this is not the first time I’ve had to question how the club deals with certain sections of our fan base. It shouldn’t need me to point things like this out for them and make them act accordingly.’
Derby County have been invited to comment.
