A football club chairman apologised to the opposition captain after a player was reportedly racially abused by a spectator.

The alleged incident took place in the first half of yesterday's pre-season friendly between Folkestone Invicta and Maidstone United at the BuildKent Stadium in Folkestone.

At half time the Stones' captain, Cameroonian defender George Elokobi, spoke to the match referee about the incident involving a team-mate.

The game continued - with Folkestone running out 3-1 winners - but it is understood an announcement was made over the public address system warning that a repeat of the abuse could see the match halted.

Paul Morgan, chairman of hosts Invicta, says everyone at the club is shocked by the nature of the allegations - and promised to come down hard on anyone guilty of racist abuse.

"At half time the captain of Maidstone spoke to the referee regarding alleged racial abuse comments," Mr Morgan said.

"What was said, by whom and the area in the ground we are still unsure. We are all very shocked at the football club by these allegations.

"If we find out who the mindless idiots are they will be banned for life..."

"In all the years I have been involved with the club we have never ever had any allegations like this and we will not tolerate any forms of racial abuse and if we find out who the mindless idiots are they will be banned for life.

"I personally spoke to the Maidstone captain after the game and apologised over the alleged incident and sent out deepest apology to the Maidstone football team and assured them nothing like this would ever happen again at the BuildKent Stadium."

Mr Morgan has called on all Folkestone Invicta supporters to report any incidents of unacceptable abuse to the club.

It comes on the same weekend in which instances of both racist and homophobic abuse marred games in the county at both professional and semi-pro levels.

Lincoln City's Cohen Bramall is understood to have made a statement to police about an alleged racist incident early on in his side's fixture against Gillingham at Priestfield following a confrontation with spectators in the home end.

Meanwhile, Sheppey United defender Jahmal Howlett-Mundle - who recently came out as bisexual - said a "narrow-minded" Tower Hamlets FC player called him a “gay p*ssy” during an FA Cup fixture.

The issue of racism in football came to the fore this summer as some sections of the England support booed the taking of the knee by players, a gesture the squad say is necessary to highlight the ongoing abuse suffered by players both in stadiums and online.

Maidstone United have been approached for comment about yesterday's incident.

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