Kilmarnock contact police after letter containing ‘racist abuse’ sent to manager Alex Dyer

Scottish Premiership side say they ‘utterly condemn’ the abuse and remain committed to ‘rid the game and society as a whole of racial discrimination’

Kilmarnock manager Alex Dyer was subjected to racist abuse in a letter sent to the club (PA)

Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock have contacted police after receiving a letter on Monday containing "racist abuse" directed at manager Alex Dyer, the club have said.

The 55-year-old Englishman is the only black manager in the Scottish top flight, and the club said it “utterly condemns” the letter, which directed abuse at Dyer.

"We are working with Police Scotland to identify any individuals involved in this disgusting act and we will pursue the strongest possible action we can against them," the club said in a statement.

"As a club, we have shown our support to rid the game and society as a whole of racial discrimination by taking the knee before each fixture this season and we will continue to do so.

"Racism in any form is completely unacceptable and must be called out whenever and wherever it is found."

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Kilmarnock's 2-1 loss to Livingston on Saturday was their fifth successive league defeat.

Humza Yousaf, the Scottish government's Cabinet Secretary for Justice, called the letter "disgraceful" and pledged "full solidarity" with Dyer and Kilmarnock.

"We are about to enter 2021 and we have black football managers receiving letters with racist abuse," he wrote on Twitter. "We have a long way to go to rid ourselves of this evil."

Eighth in the 12-team Premiership, Kilmarnock has lost five consecutive games and are scheduled to play at Motherwell on Wednesday.

The 55-year-old Englishman yer signed a two-year contract this summer after serving as interim manager for much of last season.

Last month, Dyer was named on the " Football Black List," which recognises positive influences on the sport from the black community.

Black athletes including Crystal Palace player Wilfried Zaha say they are regularly subjected to online racial abuse. Ryan Sessegnon, on loan at German club Hoffenheim from Tottenham, revealed last month that he's been targeted as well.

Reuters and AP