Ivan Toney has spoken out about the racist message he got after scoring twice in Brentford’s 2-0 win against Brighton on Friday.
With a wonderful brace at the Gtech Community Stadium, the 26-year-old increased his season tally to eight. Toney scored his first goal with a spectacular flip before adding his second from the penalty spot.
Brentford’s first win in three matches, but the euphoria was dimmed on Saturday morning after Toney posted screenshots of a message he got on Twitter.
Toney tweeted, along with photos of the conversation log and the individual’s profile, “I wasn’t even going to post this but I woke up angry…”
Following a 3-2 victory against Everton in May, Toney and Bees teammate Rico Henry’s families were assaulted.
Both guys tweeted about the event, promising that the perpetrators will face the consequences.
Toney explained to Sky Sports:
“You don’t expect that in this day and age at a football match to happen to anybody, let alone your parents, that are coming to support you – mine and Rico’s parents.
“Off the back of winning, you’re just thinking about getting the three points and it was a good feeling.
“Hearing that straight away, you switch to anger and being upset that your family, which has come to support you all those miles, experience that straight after a victory.
“It’s sad that I’m still having to sit here and talk about racism without my family just going to a game like any normal person and having a normal day.”
Toney was called up to Gareth Southgate’s England side last month but did not appear in either Nations League match against Italy or Germany.
He is the division’s joint-top English goalscorer, alongside Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane, and joint-second overall, behind Manchester City wonder Erling Haaland.
Brentford boss Thomas Frank feels the former Newcastle United man is the finest penalty taker ‘in the world and deserves to compete in the World Cup this winter.
“That would be a big thing [Ivan making the World Cup squad],” Frank declared. “We spoke about it when he got the call up, a first cap would be amazing.
“For Ivan it would be amazing, I personally think, and I respect Gareth so much and he knows the bigger picture than me, I’m a little bit bias, I’m only looking at Ivan but also I know him very well.
“I think he is the perfect fit for the squad if you want that flexibility in strikers, I don’t see one striker that can do the same as him.”
Following the win, Brentford moved up to seventh in the league, only one point and place below Brighton, who remain winless under new manager Roberto De Zerbi.
