Chris Wreh (foto: Official TW/IG/FB account)
Tamworth forward Chris Wreh has revealed that he made himself unavailable for the club’s midweek match, citing a lack of public support from the club after he was racially abused online.
The 28-year-old striker came on as a second-half substitute during Tamworth’s heroic FA Cup third-round tie against Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. Despite taking the match to extra time, Tamworth eventually lost 3-0.
Following the game, Wreh shared a screenshot of an abusive message he received on Instagram, in which a user directed racist language at him and blamed him for losing a bet. The post sparked outrage among fans and supporters.
Disappointment over club’s response
While Wreh acknowledged support from Tamworth manager Andy Peaks and the club’s fans, he expressed disappointment over the club’s decision to handle the matter privately. According to Wreh, only one official contacted him to say the club preferred to "keep the matter internal".
As a result, Wreh opted out of Tamworth’s Birmingham Senior Cup third-round match against Boldmere St Michaels on Tuesday, citing a lack of visible backing from the club.
In a statement posted to his X and Instagram accounts, Wreh wrote, “Incidents like this highlight the ongoing issue of racism. It is shameful to be racially abused by someone simply because they lost a bet, but sadly this happens all too often.”
He continued, “While I have the utmost respect for my manager, who has supported me throughout this issue, I am disappointed that the club has not publicly supported me yet, which has left me feeling confused and disappointed.”
Calls for greater action
Wreh criticized the club’s approach of keeping the incident ‘in-house’, saying, “If these incidents are kept ‘in-house’, they will never be addressed. I hope everyone understands my reasons for speaking out.”
Wreh joined Tamworth FC in 2023 and has previously played for Hartlepool United, Southend United, and Banbury United. The club, currently 16th in the fifth tier of English football, has not yet issued a public comment regarding the incident.
Postecoglou also targeted
Meanwhile, Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has condemned a section of the Tamworth support for directing abuse at him during Sunday’s FA Cup tie. Spurs eventually progressed with a 3-0 victory after extra time.
BBC Sport has contacted Tamworth FC for further comment on the incident involving Wreh.