sport news Disgraced former Crawley boss John Yems claims HE deserves an apology after ... trends now

Disgraced former Crawley Town boss John Yems has claimed he had been harshly treated after he was banned from football after using racist language against his own players - and said he was owed an apology.

The 63-year-old was given an 18-month ban earlier this month following Sportsmail's revelations that a group of Crawley players had complained about their manager's language last April, with the League Two club dismissing him the following month and the FA finding him guilty of 12 charges of misconduct.

In their written reasons for the verdict published on Tuesday the FA concluded that Yems is not a 'conscious racist,' but the allegations made against him which were upheld by their independent panel remain shocking.  

Sportsmail revealed last April that Yems had been accused of calling Crawley's black players 'Zulu warriors' and describing Muslim members of the squad as 'terrorists,' both of which were found to have occurred.

Amongst other extraordinary findings the FA panel concluded that Yems also:

Deliberately mispronounced the second half of Arnold Schwarzenegger's name to emphasise the word, 'n****r' Told Muslim players 'your people blow up stuff with vests'. Said that an Iraqi youth international at the club 'would probably blow up the stadium.' Made repeated comments about another player 'carrying a bomb in his bag.' Called one player a 'curry muncher.' Repeatedly asked the same player if he was unhappy that the club did not serve 'curry pizza.' Made a remark to one player about 'how dark his skin is' on his return to Crawley after representing Grenada. Frequently asked several African players whether they ate jerk chicken despite being told on more than one occasion that it is a Jamaican delicacy.

And Yems appeared on talkSPORT on Thursday morning defending his position and claimed he had done nothing wrong. 

When questioned on what had gone on and his comments by presenter Jim White, Yems said: 'It's a very strange part of my life the last nine months because the charges I think there was only 11 at the end. I didn't just admit one there was four things I said I did. 

'It's not a court of law, I haven't broken any laws - rather rules. It's like getting thrown out of one pub and another one letting you in there - as simple as that. You've made mistakes under FA rules and you have to take the punishment or you appeal. 

'At the end of it the panel found me in its wisdom not racist, (said I) didn't use racist language with intent and I was honest all the way through the trial. 

'When you see the charges the way they're portrayed it looks like I'm one of the great train robbers or something. It's really annoying and frustrating people don't know the story behind the whole trial not just the end product of it because it all started off many moons ago. 

'I was door stepped for two days, my wife was followed to work, people were phoning me up going to "do this and that" to me. 

'All over a charge that I segregated changing rooms and pitches, that I didn't pick black players because they were black and I'm thinking what's going on. 

'One minute I'm at Mansfield and all the players in the squad are going what's happening here - segregated? And guess what they dropped all those charges about me not picking black players, they dropped the charges about segregating changing rooms and that never gets a mention.'

Yems was also questioned on whether he was a racist after his ban, but the former Crawley boss denied this.   

He said: 'I don't know where this conscious racist is coming from and I don't really know the meaning of that I just don't know what it is all about. 

'I'm dragged through the worst experience of my life - in my total time of football I've worked with black players, white players, every race, most countries.

'Some of the things I’ve been accused of saying, to me, okay some have said I used old fashioned language. I totally agree, if that’s the case then that’s the case.

'It so easy to throw accusations and if you throw enough mud then some of it will stick. I find that very offensive for people to say I’m racist.' 

When questioned by White on if he accepts he’s done something wrong, Yems added: 'No, the thing I’ve done wrong has been highlighted to me and has shown me there are certain things you can’t say or do.

'So be it. If that’s the rules now and that’s what we are supposed to do then let people know.

'To me, it’s the intent with what people say. I haven’t purposefully gone out there, individually, to say to someone XYZ, purely on the colour of their skin.'

Yems was also asked on some the accusations thrown his way. When questioned particularly if he had called black players 'Zulu warriors', he said: 'I didn't say that. You're hearing one side of the story - no witnesses for anything. 

'No I didn't say that. Four boys were released from me at end of season that weren't being offered contracts - make your own opinions and make your mind up on what goes on in football.

'I was never sat down, asked about any until of it went to the papers. There was no chance to say, do anything or speak to anyone. 

'There's a bigger story to look at if people take the

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