IN the context of world football, English clubs have taken a strong stand against racism – and yet it remains prevalent, from the Premier League to the grass roots of the game.

Despite the high-profile campaigning of the "Show Racism The Red Card" charity, an investigation earlier this year, based on information gathered from 24 police forces, showed there had been 350 racist incidents since 2012. That only accounts for half the police forces in the country so the real figure is much higher.

The truth, of course, is that racism is societal, with racist behaviour mainly taking place away from football grounds.

Nevertheless, it remains an issue for football to confront and those minority of fans who are found guilty of racist behaviour need to be rooted out.

This evening, Ernest Goult, a 72-year-old Middlesbrough fan, was found guilty by Teesside magistrates of making racist monkey gestures towards three Blackburn Rovers footballers – club captain Lee Williamson, Rudy Gestede, and Markus Olsson.

Goult claimed he had made "a well-known Teesside gesture" which was meant to indicate the opposition players were "the pits".

It was an excuse which was rightly kicked out by the court and Goult has now been kicked out of football grounds for three years, as well as being fined £600, with £600 costs.

The bigger penalty is the shame of being exposed nationally as a football racist and behaving in a way which has no place in society, let alone a football stadium.

With the new football season weeks away, it is to be hoped this case sends a strong message that racism will not be tolerated in football and that those guilty of it will be brought before the courts in the full glare of publicity.