Sterling right not to allow 2018 experience prevent him from joining Chelsea

Remember the m chants aimed at the Manchester United midfielder Fred during the 2019 derby?

Or when Arsenal defender Rob Holding complained to the referee at Leeds last December, over the racist abuse aimed mid-match at Nicolas Pepe and Nuno Tavares? Maybe you recall the fan who threw a banana skin at Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during the north London derby at the Emirates in 2019.

Or Antonio Rudiger 's insistence, despite the police and the club failing to find the culprit, that he'd had a m gesture aimed at him at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium that year. Perhaps even the Burnley fan who flew that White Lives Matter banner over Turf Moor during the club's game against Manchester City in 2020.

The West Ham fan banned from the London Stadium two years ago for racially abusing Mohamed Salah. The Everton fan who abused Liverpool's Egyptian superstar the year before. Or the fans up and down the country who booed the players taking the knee to highlight racial injustice two seasons ago.

Maybe even the supporters who went on to barrack their own England stars performing that same action ahead of and during last year's European Championship Finals.

Those incidents are just the tip of the iceberg as football continues to struggle with a racism crisis. You will doubtless have your own examples.

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The point is, some clubs' fans are better than others, but there is not a single club in the country whose supporters are blameless when it comes to crossing the line. With that in mind it is easy to understand why Raheem Sterling chose to join Chelsea. As a footballing decision it was a no-brainer.

The fan accused of hurling that racist abuse four years ago was banned for life. Why should his actions prevent the England winger from pursuing his career.

Chelsea 's historical issues are well documented and have not gone away, let's not kid ourselves. But the club have moved on from the old days when they'd defend the indefensible and, like many others clubs, work hard to identify and punish those responsible.

The onus now is on the authorities. If they would come down harder with points deductions and the will to throw clubs out of competitions, fans would be less emboldened to spew their bile. They'd have something to lose. Fans around them would shop them.

Instead, clubs continue to be docked points for money rather than racism. Go into administration as a club and you'll be hammered. Watch a section of your fans abuse players on the basis of the colour of their skin and, after all the handwringing and the soundbites, a slap on the wrist will follow.

So yes, footballers continue to move between clubs well aware that m gestures, simian chants and the n-word remain an occupational hazard.

The way of the world now is that players go into every game mindful that a mistake for their team or a winner against an opposing side unleashes the racists whose refuge is social media.

It shames our sport in 2022 with a new generation growing up needing to brace themselves for the bile and the brainless.

But it will never stop footballers from doing their jobs and living their lives. Nor should it.