Resignations are one thing... but we need real change

By Darren Lewis

Published 18:50 26/01/11

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I'm finding it hard to get excited over the sexism furore.

Not because I agree with the archaic views on Sian Massey. Not because I agree, obviously, in any way, shape or form with sexism.

Nor do I condone the behaviour which ended the career of one quite brilliant broadcaster and threatens the career of another.

More because football has to have a long look at itself in the wake of its issue. And I'm not sure that it will.

I remain one of just two black reporters in the national written press.

Massey, the female official at the centre of last Saturday's furore, is one of just three - yes, three - women officials in the English professional game. The others are Amy Fearn (nee Rayner) and Sasa Ihringova.

Of the 92 football managers in this country, just two are black - Paul Ince at Notts County and Chris Powell at Charlton.

And of the 20 Premier League clubs in this country, just five have female directors.

When things start to actually CHANGE in the game, then I might start to become encouraged.

Sadly, however, there is a long way to go.

Once this is all over, there will still be a half-dressed woman on Page Three.

It will still be hard for a black player, however decorated, to make the progression to manager, and while that ceiling will have had a bit of pressure applied to it, the breakthrough will still not have been made.

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