159 Quotes by John Barnes

In the 1970s you would have had lots of black goalkeepers and defensive midfield players but never made it professionally because the perception was, 'You don't think too much, you can't play in positions of responsibility so you play on the wing or up front.' Lots were lost to the game because of the perception.

Policing language and even legislating against certain behaviours will only go so far to address the pervasive problem of racial bias. To get at the root cause we must have open, honest and sometimes painful conversations.

We should be the first to help disadvantaged people. What would happen if other countries decided to follow our example?

If you are forced to give someone an opportunity when you don't want to, that's going to turn you even more against it.

We are the first on the frontline to go into countries to liberate people in the name of freedom - that's what we've claimed. And now, all of a sudden, they need our help and we turn them away. Yet the rest of Europe stands ready to help. Why are we the first to jump ship?

If every racist who came to football was silenced, football stadiums would still be full of racists. Racism is everywhere in our society, it is inside every one of us.

I'm a big believer in fate.

I don't have to manage a big club. That won't fulfil me. I will get more satisfaction from the work that I put in than where I am.

Talking about what any one section of our society has to do to combat racism just stops people outside that group asking difficult questions of themselves. We keep looking at symptoms and not treating the cause.