Football body 'embarrassed' to have booked Reginald D Hunter

The chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association has said it was a ‘huge mistake’ to book Reginald D Hunter for their awards show last night.

Many guests were uncomfortable with Hunter’s repeated use of the N-word during his set, given the sensitivity of racism in the sport.

Now the body’s chairman, Clarke Carlisle had admitted it was a ‘gross error of judgement’ to have booked Hunter.

He told TalkSport radio: ‘I'm embarrassed about what we put on stage in the name of entertainment.I thought his repertoire last night took a really facetious angle and undermined everything we purport to stand for.’

Hunter also joked about Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, who has previously been banned for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra.

Carlisle said he was frustrated about the row over ‘someone who we paid to come in as entertainment and [was] facetious about something we stand vehemently’.

He added: ‘This isn't lambasting Reginald D Hunter - that is his job, that's his repertoire. When you see a comedian in a comedy club, you know they are going to push issues and ethics right to the extreme because that's what they do, but last night wasn't a comedy club. We are the PFA.

‘I’m embarrassed and I apologise unreservedly to any who were offended, and those who weren't, because I think it was inappropriate - the wrong place, the wrong time. We made a gross error of judgement.’

Hunter’s love of using the N-word is barely secret, since he has used it in the title of several of his shows, and in 2006 made national headlines when London Underground refused to advertise Pride and Prejudice And Niggas on the Tube.

The chairman of anti-racism organisation Kick It Out, Lord Ouseley, has demanded to know why Hunter was booked. The peer, who was not at the event, said: ‘I'm surprised there wasn't a mass walkout.’

However, PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor shrugged off complaints, saying: “Well he’s a comedian, isn’t he? “I think there were a few raised eyebrows... but that is the sort of thing you can’t control. He is a professional comedian. ‘

Hunter defended his act to The Sun saying: ‘Those people feel that by not talking about racism, by not thinking about it, it will go away – but I was sent to do that.’

However, he admitted: ‘I might have done things differently.’

Published: 29 Apr 2013