New QPR manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was turned down by Port Vale in 2013 as their owner feared he could be racially abused by his own fans.

Norman Smurthwaite, 55, said on Wednesday that he had had an opportunity to appoint Hasselbaink before he took over at Burton Albion, who he guided to their best ever season as they won League Two at the end of last season.

The Port Vale owner said that he had chosen not to hire the candidate during a period when the club had been warned by the FA over racist chanting by its supporters in a game against Bradford City.

“I didn’t take him because of the racial issue the club has got,” Smurthwaite said. “I didn’t think it was fair on him.

“Can you imagine the poor bloke getting abuse, along with the normal abuse if results were going against him? He would have been right for the club but I don’t think the club would have been right for him.

“99 per cent of our fans are excellent but a small minority leave us with policing and other issues.”

Smurthwaite also claimed that he had been impressed by the work of then caretaker Rob Page, who helped manoeuvre Vale away from the relegation zone.

The owner put the League One side up for sale earlier this week after reacting furiously to his side’s FA Cup defeat to Exeter City.