BRENTFORD’S FOOTBALLERS will no longer be taking the knee before their matches as they are not sure that the action is making an impact. The west London club’s players all stood just before kick off against Barnsley on February 14.

American Football quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat on the bench during the US national anthem to protest against police brutality and racism in a pre-season game on August 26 2016.

Kaepernick said at the time: “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour.”

He discussed his motivations with Nate Boyer, a military veteran and former National Football League (NFL) player, who advised him to kneel because he thought it was more “respectful”.

Since then a raft of sports stars have followed the action including footballers in the United Kingdom.

However, Brentford feel that taking the knee is no longer for them and will look at other ways of showing solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

In a statement the club said: ‘As a group of players, we have decided we will no longer take a knee before the start of matches. This will begin when we face Barnsley tomorrow, Sunday 14 February.

‘This decision has come after lengthy discussions as a group. We have been taking a knee before games since June but, like many of our fellow players at other clubs, no longer believe that this is having an impact. We believe we can use our time and energies to promote racial equality in other ways.

‘As a group we are fully behind and proud of Brentford’s desire to become the most inclusive club in the country and the drive towards equality under the #BeeTogether banner.

‘We have experienced racist abuse first hand and have also seen some appalling comments made to other players past and present.  There is a clear need to continue to push for an end to all discrimination and, as players, we will be part of that at Brentford FC, in football in general and in the wider community. 

‘Togetherness is one of our key values as a group and plays an important role in helping us move towards reaching our goals. Racism is the opposite of what we stand for. As players we will show our commitment to Togetherness and racial equality on and off the pitch between now and the end of the season, and beyond. We will also support our colleagues at other clubs that still want to take a knee before games.’

Jon Varney, Brentford FC Chief Executive, added: “There have been detailed and lengthy discussions on this topic both in the playing group and across the club. Taking a knee is just one way our players have been showing their commitment to racial equality.

“We supported their desire to do it and we now support their desire to focus on other ways to show this commitment. We have been very clear in our ambition to be the most inclusive club in the country and our players want to and will play a big part on this journey.”

In January, Nottingham Forest striker Lyle Taylor revealed why he refused to take the knee before matches.

Taylor claimed he does not ‘blindly support’ the Black Lives Matter campaign and urged people to look at what the organisation stands for.

Last September, Queens Park Rangers director of football Les Ferdinand said the impact of taking a knee “has been diluted”.

QPR and Coventry City did not carry out the gesture in support of the Black Lives Matter movement before their Championship match last autumn.

“The message has been lost. It is now not dissimilar to a fancy hashtag or a nice pin badge,” Ferdinand said in a statement on the club’s website.

“Taking the knee will not bring about change in the game – actions will.”