Reading players refused to wear the Kick It Out shirt on yet another weekend of racism controversy in the Championship.

For the second weekend in a row the Royals, who lost at Hull, chose not to wear the shirt of the anti-racism body.

Mirror Football understands that last week, the players gave their shirts away to staff, ball kids, mascots and programme sellers ahead of their game at home to Preston.

The shirts donated to clubs are meant specifically to be worn by the players. It is understood, however, that one member of the squad has lost faith in the anti-racism movement.

Several members of the squad who wanted to wear the Kick It Out shirt are understood to have been upset that the decision had been taken out of their hands.

(Image: Getty Images)

It is also understood the Preston players were unable to wear the shirts last week because none had been left in their dressing room by Reading staff.

Reading have refused to comment. But they responded to the dressing room stance by maintaining the celebration of Kick It Out’s 25th anniversary as a club.

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A banner was displayed as the players walked out, messaging on their big screen and with skipper Liam Moore wearing the Kick it Out armband.

The controversy caps another chastening weekend for English football after more players were racially abused.

(Image: Jane Stokes/ProSports/REX)

Two weeks after the domestic game lashed out at fans in Montenegro, a Brentford season-ticket holder was arrested after Derby midfielder Duane Holmes had been subjected to monkey chants.

Wigan chiefs were left “angered” after defender Nathan Byrne was branded a “black filthy b*****d” and a “slave c***” on Twitter and Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha retweeted a message that called him a ‘diving monkey’.

In a further incident, Northampton Town revealed their players were racially abused outside a hotel in Nottingham before Saturday’s game against Notts County.

“We would like to highly commend our players for the professional manner in which they handled the situation and as a club we stand together in condemning such actions,” said the club.

(Image: Ian MacNicol)

The EFL hit out at the abuse, insisting it was “saddened, disappointed and angered to hear of further reports of alleged racism”.

A statement added: “It was exceptionally disappointing that this happened as clubs up and down the country were raising awareness of such issues as part of Kick it Out’s Week of Action.

“We remain fully committed to continuing to work alongside the Football Association and Premier League as well as other relevant parties to ensure that football provides a welcoming environment for supporters attending matches and those participating in them.

“We cannot, and will not, accept this type of behaviour inside our stadiums, as we know our clubs won’t.”