Connor Goldson admits he came close to lashing out at Slavia Prague’s players in the wake of Thursday’s night’s alleged racial abuse aimed at Glen Kamara.
Gers’ Europa League clash with the Czech champions was overshadowed by claims Ondrej Kudela whispered a discriminatory slur into Ibrox midfielder Kamara’s ear.
The shocking incident sparked a furious backlash from the Light Blues squad, with Goldson having to be held back as he charged after Kudela.
The flashpoint took place just three minutes from the end of the 90 minutes and Goldson admits he spent the rest of the game considering taking matters into his own hands.
Slavia have already rejected the claims – and have even tried to turn the tables on Kamara, insisting it was the Finland star who was guilty of assaulting Kudela in a post-match bust-up.
But Goldson hit back to say: “Listen it wasn’t allegedly said – it was said.
“I’m disgusted with what happened. I know it was said, 100 per cent. I didn’t hear it myself but I know how Glen is.
“In the two-and-a-half years he’s been here I don’t think you’ve ever seen him angry or emotional in any kind of way. So for him to get like that then I know something was said and I believe him 100 per cent.
“That’s why I reacted in the way I did. The player couldn’t even look me in my eyes or speak to me. I’ve never been so angry on a football pitch.
“I’ll be honest I completely lost my cool and for the remainder of the game all I wanted to do was hurt someone. I’ve never been like that before on a football pitch.”
Goldson and the rest of his team-mates took the knee before Thursday’s 2-0 defeat – which ended Gers’ 12-game unbeaten run in Europe at the last 16 stage.
But the Ibrox defender insists racism will never be tackled unless the powers that be start addressing it with serious measures.
Asked to sum up his feelings, the 28-year-old said: “Anger more than anything. I’m disappointed, these are scenes you should never see on a football pitch.
“But I’m proud the way of the whole team and club handled the situation. From top to bottom we handled it really strongly and backed Glen to the hilt.
“I always will because I’ve got such a strong relationship with him.
“But (racism) will never get eradicated because there are so many token gestures out there.
“I’ll be honest, taking a knee (is a) token gesture from the higher authorities to make it look like they are doing something to help.
“But they are not doing anything because when these things happen there is no consequence.
“There might be a fine but it’s never enough. It will never change.
“Do we need harsher punishments? I just wish it would never happen. We’re in an age now where I feel we’re making steps forwards but then with things like social media, it’s a move backwards.
“You have the incident on the pitch where you are already angry.
“Then you come into the changing room and the boys look at their phone and you see all sorts of emojis and racism from sections of their fans. It’s just hard to take.
“I don’t think you’ll ever understand how hard it is to take for us where you work so hard to get in a position where you become a professional footballer. It’s hard enough as it is then you do make it and you have to carry on with the abuse that comes with it.”
