Taylor unhappy with 'misguided' protest

Players' chief Gordon Taylor feels the protests against Kick It Out are "misguided" but acknowledges questions need to be asked about the way the anti-racism campaign is being presented with so many PFA members clearly unhappy.

Numerous players decided not to wear t-shirts in support of Kick It Out during this weekend's Barclays Premier League matches, including Ferdinand brothers Rio and Anton and Reading striker Jason Roberts.

Asked for his reaction to the issue, Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) chief executive Taylor, whose union are one of the bodies which part-funds Kick It Out, told TalkSPORT: "I feel to some extent it's misguided and I feel it's quite disrespectful of people like Herman Ouseley, who has spent a lifetime fighting racism, also on the trustees we have people such as Paul Elliott and Garth Crooks."

He went on: "This is a lobby group, it just seems odd to aim their attention at a group, albeit supported by the FA, and the Premier League as well as the PFA, whose job it is to try and send out a message against racism.

"So it is quite a concern, I can understand the frustration with the events that have been in place but the fact is Kick It Out is not the disciplinary body."

The protests have raised some issues that Taylor admits need looking at, though.

He said: "Clearly there's a great deal of unhappiness in the way they (Kick It Out) are presenting themselves and we've got to ask serious questions.

"And if in fact the money we give, which is six figures from the PFA....we are a democratic union and if the members, clearly some of which feel that's not being used to best effect, then we've got to look to change it and make sure we respond to those feelings or look for another alternative method of eradicating racism from our game."