The FA have opened an investigation into allegations that Crawley manager John Yems has used racist language towards several of the club’s players this season.
Sportsmail has learned that a group of Crawley players have raised issues regarding Yems’ conduct and alleged use of offensive language, with their unhappiness initially flagged to the Professional Footballers’ Association and then passed on to the FA.
The matter is now being investigated by the FA’s disciplinary department, who are deciding whether to charge Yems with a breach of rule E3, which prohibits discrimination against another individual’s protected characteristics such as race, colour, religion, sexual orientation or disability.
Yems has not faced any disciplinary action from Crawley since the allegations emerged and is set to take charge of the team as usual for today’s League Two fixture against Mansfield.
Yems and Crawley declined to comment.
New chief unsettles Unsworth
Everton’s new director of football Kevin Thelwell has made an immediate impact at Goodison Park, with his determination to overhaul the club’s youth set-up behind the departure of long-serving academy director David Unsworth last week.
Thelwell is understood to have been baffled that Unsworth was combining his duties as academy boss with a secondary role as Under 23 manager and demanded that the former Everton defender relinquish some of his responsibilities, which he was reluctant to do.
Unsworth instead opted to leave, citing a desire to pursue a managerial career, having twice served as a caretaker boss at Everton, with Thelwell’s influence demonstrated by the fact that the club are planning to recruit both an academy director and an Under 23 manager to replace him.
Blues chief not jolly over Rogers
Chelsea chief executive Guy Laurence may be hoping that the consortium led by Sir Martin Broughton does not succeed in buying the club as he was once sacked by one of their main investors, the Rogers family.
Laurence spent three years as president of Rogers Communications, a Canadian telecommunications company, but was dismissed in 2016 following a personality clash, with sources claiming that the family had issues with his brash manner.
The size of the Rogers family’s proposed stake in Chelsea is unclear, but given their overall net worth of £7.3billion they are likely to command some influence, not least as they have extensive experience of running sports franchises.
Chair of Rogers Communications Edward Rogers owns Major League Baseball team Toronto Blue Jays outright, and the company are also major shareholders in Maple Leaf Sports, owners of nine Canadian sports franchises including ice hockey side Toronto Maple Leafs.
Ashley keeping tabs over Rams bid
Mike Ashley remains interested in buying Derby County despite losing out to Chris Kirchner in the battle to be named as the preferred bidder by the club’s administrators.
There are considerable doubts over whether American businessman Kirchner will produce proof of funds or pass the EFL’s owners and directors test, as he has previously failed in attempts to buy both Derby and Preston.
This has encouraged Ashley to wait in the background and prepare a rival bid. Kirchner’s period of exclusivity to complete a deal expires on May 7 — the final day of the season.
If a takeover does not through, the club will be unable to continue operating through the summer as they prepare for life in League One.
Does Papa John's really deliver?
The Premier League are reviewing whether to continue permitting a number of their clubs to enter academy sides in the Papa John’s Trophy next season.
Up to 16 category one academies have been able to enter the competition alongside all 48 League One and League Two clubs since a successful trial was held during the 2016-17 season, but the Premier League have begun a consultation with their clubs over whether they feel such involvement has been beneficial to their players.
The EFL Trophy review is part of a wider consultation regarding the Premier League’s Elite Player Performance Plan, which is widely regarded as having improved youth development in this country since it was introduced in 2010.
