Leeds condemned their own supporters after a chant for Manor Solomon went viral on social media.
Daniel Farke’s side claimed a 2-0 away win against Stoke City in the Championship on Boxing Day but their chants for Solomon sparked outrage on social media.
One clip of the Anti-Palestine song reached over five million views just hours after being posted.
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Leeds fans sang to the tune of Manfred Mann's 'Do Wah Diddy Diddy'. The lyrics were changed to say, "Manor Solomon's on my mind and he hates Palestine".
Leeds released a statement to condemn their own fans and warned supporters that language and chanting was “not acceptable” and could be in danger of “breaking the law”.
Solomon is currently on loan from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur and has emerged as a key player at Elland Road during their promotion push.
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During a sit down interview with The Athletic, the 25-year-old was asked about the controversial chant and did not address it directly, instead sending a message to the Leeds supporters.
“I prefer not to comment about it,” he said.
“I just want to say I’m grateful for the support of the fans, for everyone and it doesn’t matter where they’re from and what they believe and what they support.
“I’m just grateful for them and I’m happy with them and to see them in Elland Road, in the away games when it’s a five-hour drive and you see them, they’re all chanting for everything.
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“It’s really amazing and I can say it’s maybe one of the best fanbases I’ve ever experienced.”
According to the Daily Mail, the FA and the Football League are both thought to be aware of the chanting.
The FA have punished clubs over offensive songs in the past but at the time of writing, no action has been taken against Leeds.
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Leeds’ statement read: “Discriminatory language or chanting is not acceptable and supporters could be breaking the law,' said a Leeds spokesperson.
“The club condemns this behaviour and has a zero-tolerance policy towards discrimination abuse of all kinds.
“Tough measures and sanctions are in place across all English football leagues to tackle illegal behaviours within football grounds, and this involves but is not limited to, discriminatory behaviour and tragedy chanting.”
Solomon has made 20 appearances in the Championship this season, scoring three goals and registering four assists.
Topics: Leeds United, Football, Racism, FA, Premier League
Marcus Banks