Brentford admit they were wrong to employ a convicted football hooligan to help with security after he was fined in court for racism offences… as club concede they failed to carry out a full background check
- Brentford employed Steven Green, 39, to help with security at Griffin Park
- He has been fined in court for racism offences and also had previous conviction
- Championship club admit they were wrong and background check wasn’t made
Brentford have admitted they were wrong to employ a convicted football hooligan who was fined in court for racism offences.
Steven Green, 39, helped with security on their ‘Farewell Griffin Park’ stadium tours last summer after the then season-ticket holder was recommended by another Brentford member of staff.
On Monday, on the eve of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Tottenham, the club confirmed ‘a full background check was not carried out’.
Steven Green, 39, leaves court after pleading guilty to racially aggravated harassment
Instead, Green was given a casual contract even though, in 2010, he was handed a suspended eight-month prison sentence and a four-year banning order for his role in a brawl involving Leyton Orient supporters.
In court on Monday, he was fined £400 (and ordered to pay further costs totalling £125) after pleading guilty to racially aggravated harassment. Green, who had three previous convictions and was once jailed for affray, was filmed in September calling a QPR fan a ‘F****** n*****.’
Brentford, who boast of a ‘commitment to be the most inclusive club in the country’, say he has been banned for life. They have also changed their protocols to avoid similar embarrassment in the future.
‘We accept that a mistake was made in giving Mr Green the position we did and have reviewed our recruitment processes in the past few months,’ the club said.
‘We would like to reiterate that we have a zero-tolerance policy towards discriminatory behaviour of any kind.’
Brentford have moved to a new stadium (above) but Green helped with security at Griffin Park