Simon Smith: "Oh qualifiers how I welcome thee"

It is hard to find many positives from Saturday aside from the sparky John Buckley being given his chance.

And Tyler Magloire will have learnt more from this game than Tuesday’s of the demands of this division. As a footballer he is assured and a great prospect. As a competitor he is obviously yet to find the grit that will produce the pearl.

One fact that cut deeper than the result was the performance of Derrick Williams. There was not a Rovers supporter who did not hope for a 10/10 display from Willo. Even a 7/10 would have been parlayed into a ‘man of the match’ outcome.

To walk out wearing the colours and badge also sported by an individual who racially abused you cannot instil strength in you. It is hard not to feel that influenced his display, even sub-consciously. The players we have are all professionals but they are also human beings with human emotions and feelings.

I’m not excusing a poor game by Derrick Williams but I am reiterating that, as fans, our passion is best served positively rather than negatively. Moan in the pub, cafe or living room. Not hiding behind a keyboard.

These individuals, and I use the plural ‘individuals’ badly, rarely make these comments without looking to those around them for confirmation of their prejudices. They seek assurance that they are right because they don’t really believe it; they are ‘individual’ in that they are not representative.

A racist minority is still there in crowds at every club. They are mercifully few, but no one can no one can deny they still exist.

These misguided folk are confronted, by others besides me, on every occasion and that makes me feel that, as fans, we are showing our true colours and not ignoring the problem.