Tyrone Mings has warned black players could refuse to join clubs that fail to sign up for the FA’s new diversity code.
The Aston Villa defender played a key role in the creation of the code, which will ask clubs to hit specific targets in coaching positions as well as senior management roles.
Over 40 clubs have already signed up to the code but Southampton are the only Premier League club missing from the list, saying they need more time to consider its implications.
Proud to be able to contribute my voice to this conversation. It’s a step in the right direction to tackling inequality in our game. Still a lot more to be done but great to finally see actions being put in place. This represents accountability & progress. https://t.co/aIMJ7Oz6dQ— Tyrone Mings (@OfficialTM_3) October 27, 2020
Mings told the Daily Mail: “Of course it will come into players’ minds if they see that one has alienated itself from the code by choosing not to sign up or choosing to not be part of it. You would want to ask the question why.
“It may be an issue that those clubs have to deal with in the future, those difficult conversations around, ‘why haven’t you signed up?'”
Southampton say they are “wholly supportive” of the objectives of the code, but wish to examine how it will impact their own, established diversity measures before making a commitment.
Mings, who was part of the England team that twice stopped their Euro 2020 qualifier in Bulgaria last year due to racial abuse, hailed the “huge progress” of the initiative.
He added: “I don’t know the reasons why Southampton haven’t signed up but I guess if there’s one that hasn’t it means 19 have.
“It’s important to look at the positives. The fact that there are so many that have signed up represents huge progress and that is probably more important than the one that hasn’t.
“But of course if they do sign up and the whole Premier League signs up it represents a real collective sign of people wanting to make change.
“At the moment that’s not something that we have but hopefully in future they will and they will see the benefits of being part of a collective.”
Chris Powell, the former England defender and current head of coaching at Tottenham’s academy, said he believed in time every club would sign up to the code.
He told the PA news agency: “I think it is a very, very powerful code and I expect that it will be implemented by everyone, and over time we will see a significant change.”
