England players get shirty at Luis

UEFA, the game's European governing body, will surely be monitoring the chants at tonight's game, including presumably from the dugout.

Aragones was asked repeatedly about the issue yesterday and finally snapped after a press conference at Real Madrid's training complex. Shaking his head in anger, he rowed with journalists live on Spanish television, saying: "I am not a racist but you lot will write what you want.

" You are like wolves after the deer. You are kids. You don't know anything, but I am nearly 70. I have a lot of black friends who have explained to me that the English were after them in the colonies.

"I have fed black people at the table in my house. For me racism is a matter of conscience and my conscience is clear. Enough black people have said so.

"I'm a citizen of the world. My profession has led me to adapt to any region and I have a lot of black friends. I don't understand why we keep talking about this subject."

Aragones was never punished by the Spanish Football Federation or world governing body FIFA for his revolting comments to Jose Antonio Reyes about his Arsenal teammate Henry, who was hurt and angered by the incident.

Aragones claimed he had apologised to Reyes, but the Professional Footballers' Association today questioned that claim.

Bobby Barnes, the former West Ham winger who is an executive of the players' union and also a trustee of the Kick Racism Out Of Football movement, told Standard Sport: "If he has, then it is news to me. I feel sure we would have heard if he had made such an apology to Thierry or to Arsenal.

"And as far as I am aware, there has also been nothing from the Spanish FA regarding what he said.

"I am told he said something yesterday to the affect that 'coloured' friends of his had told him about England's colonial past. I think that just proves he is trying to justify his offensive and disgraceful statement.

"Gordon Taylor, the PFA chief executive, has said that we want an apology and that is something we will push for until one is given.

"His comments were a disgrace and were directed at a player who has been a superb ambassador for football who plays for a club who have been at the forefront of eliminating racism for football.

"Both the Arsenal chairman David Dein and the captain Patrick Vieira have contributed to the campaign and that tells you a lot.

"It seems Aragones and the Spanish FA are trying to brush the affair under the carpet but you can't do that with something this serious."

Another member of the PFA hierarchy is Paul Davis, who has close connections with Highbury from his days as a distinguished player with Arsenal. Davis said: "So if there had been anything by way of an apology, I am sure we would have been aware of it.

"From a personal point of view, it is a shame that Aragones has not seen fit to apologise. He said he used the expression to motivate a player, but there must be better ways to motivate a player than to use racist language like that.

"To insult a player like Thierry Henry in that way does him no credit at all.

"But there hasn't been a word from Aragones nor the Spanish FA. I think they could learn from the president of the Slovakian FA. There was a conference on racism not long after the abuse suffered by Ashley Cole and Emile Heskey after England had played out there.

"He stood up at that conference and said he was not going to apologise or try to justify it - he was just going to try to something about it in the future. That kind of message would have been welcome from the Spanish FA.

"I heard Aragones say that the Barcelona player Samuel Eto'o was 'like a son to him' and that he looked after him. The only thing I haven't seen is any comments from Samuel Eto'o."

Eradicating bigotry from English football remains a priority to the FA and players, fans and coaches alike will no longer stand for racism.

Former Aston Villa and Manchester United manager Atkinson lost his job as an ITV pundit after he shamefully described Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly as "a lazy nigger" at the the end of an ITV broadcast, when he was unaware that the microphones were still live and that his words were being broadcast in overseas countries that took a commentary feed.

Like Aragones, Atkinson still seems unable to fully accept how wrong he was. Atkinson said this week: "If I'd said 'frog' I wouldn't have had half the flak. Maybe this PC business is being tipped a little bit unfairly against me."

That view - nor the self-justifying ramblings of Aragones - would not find much sympathy with the England players or their manager. The anti-racist slogans will appear on pictures all over the world and Eriksson said: "I don't know if the idea came from the players or the FA but I like it."

Given the monkey chants at last night's Under 21 match, let's hope the senior England players don't need to put their T shirts back on again tonight.