Ashley Cole has revealed he did not speak out about racist abuse suffered as a player because there was not “enough support” and his belief that “no-one cares”.

Cole has recalled his own experience as a player and revealed his admiration for Raheem Sterling for publicly fighting against racism in a way he felt he could not.

“I praise Raheem for when he stood up and was brace enough to do it,” Cole said on Sky Sports. “Because I couldn’t do it because I thought no-one cares, and no-one’s going to listen.

“Again, it is kind of my fault because when I got abused, I didn’t come out, but I just didn’t feel like I had enough support. I think Raheem has changed it and he’s got the people at his side, where I didn’t think I had that.

Ratings: Tottenham vs Chelsea Show all 22 1 /22 Ratings: Tottenham vs Chelsea Ratings: Tottenham vs Chelsea Paulo Gazzaniga: 4 out of 10 Tottenham Hotspur's Argentinian goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga gives away a penalty after missing the ball and colliding with Chelsea's Spanish defender Marcos Alonso (not pictured) during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on December 22, 2019. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Chelsea Serge Aurier: 6 out of 10 Chelsea's Spanish defender Cesar Azpilicueta (R) vies with Tottenham Hotspur's Ivorian defender Serge Aurier during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on December 22, 2019. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Chelsea Davinson Sanchez: 6 out of 10 LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 22: Davinson Sanchez of Tottenham Hotspur walks out to warm up ahead of the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images) Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I Ratings: Tottenham vs Chelsea Toby Alderweireld: 5 out of 10 Tottenham Hotspur's Belgian defender Toby Alderweireld passes the ball during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on December 22, 2019. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. 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An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Chelsea Eric Dier: 4 out of 10 LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 22: Willian of Chelsea and Eric Dier of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 22, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Chelsea Moussa Sissoko: 6 out of 10 Tottenham Hotspur's French midfielder Moussa Sissoko runs with the ball during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on December 22, 2019. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. 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(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) Getty Images Ratings: Tottenham vs Chelsea Kepa Arrizabalaga: 6 out of 10 Chelsea's Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga takes a kick during the English Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on December 22, 2019. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / IKIMAGES / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. 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“I’ve had a lot said to me. My job is to play football, I’m paid to play football, I love the game of football, so I’d rather show them in a different way and play football.

“I’m not going to start the drama again, but of course it’s happened.”

Gary Neville also recalled the abuse Cole suffered while playing together for England in Spain at the Bernabeu​ in 2004, admitting he did not think about it afterwards, while also urging the Premier League to take action and not wait on The FA.

“We’re talking about a micro-level, about an individual behind the goal, but it’s far deeper than that in the sense that, ultimately, Ashley was abused at the Bernabeu 15 years ago in a game I played in,” Neville added. “I sat in the dressing room at the end of that game and probably didn’t even give it a moment’s thought in the sense that we’re thinking of it as football players.

“You’re sat there in the changing room and you ultimately hear about it, there’s a media storm, the English media are calling for Uefa, for Fifa, for the Spanish authorities to deal with it, similarly recently with Bulgaria, but we have a racism problem in the Premier League in England, and the Premier League have got to stand up. They hide behind the FA on this issue in my opinion.

“They push the disciplinary and other issues over to the FA, yes we heard the announcements at the end, but I mentioned it a couple of weeks ago. We’ve just seen a general election in this country where both main parties, and the leaders of both main parties, are accused constantly over the last month of fuelling racism and accepting racism in their parties.

Ashley Cole has spoke about his own experience suffering racist abuse (Sky Sports)

“If it’s accepted in the highest office in the country, we’re not talking about it at a micro-level, we’re talking about it at an absolutely enormous level, the highest office in the country, and it’s the same here today. We’ve seen an incident, which to be fair we could say is down to one individual person, but it’s a far bigger problem than that. I think there has to be something that happens quickly. We maybe have to empower the players to walk off the pitch and stop the entertainment while it’s happening, because that’s the only way I can see it happening.

“Ultimately, I didn’t walk off the pitch when Ashely was abused 15 years ago, and ultimately he might argue that it’s now okay for me to sit here in my ivory tower and suggest that players should walk off the pitch. But I think ultimately, I would be ashamed of myself for not doing it 15 years ago as I would be absolutely proud of players now to empower them to think ‘do something about it, take it into your own hands’.