Carlisle apologises over Reginald D Hunter PFA show

Professional Footballers’ Association chairman Clarke Carlisle believes that his organisation made “a huge mistake” in hiring Reginald D Hunter to perform at Sunday night’s awards dinner in London.

Hunter, a black comedian from the United States, repeatedly used the word “n*****” which was not well received in the ballroom of the Grosvenor House hotel in Mayfair.

The Northampton defender, who took over as PFA chairman in 2010, said: “I thought with everything that we have gone through over the last few years, using a comedian of his type was a bad error in judgment. I was embarrassed throughout and I want to apologise unreservedly to the footballing community that was present.”

Carlisle’s comments bring him into conflict with the organisation’s chief executive, Gordon Taylor, who tried to play down the furore.

Asked whether it was a mistake to allow Hunter to perform, Taylor replied: “No, no, don’t be silly. Are you serious?

“I think there were a few raised eyebrows over the comedian but that is the sort of thing you can’t control. It was unfortunate. He is a professional comedian. It’s a difficult subject in football and with him not being fully aware of how emotive it has been in football, that was probably a difficulty for him.”