PFA chiefs stunned guests at their annual dinner by booking a comedian who repeatedly used racist slurs on stage during his act on Sunday night.
Incredibly, after a year when the PFA has been at the centre of race storms involving John Terry, Ashley Cole, Anton Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand and PFA nominee Luis Suarez, black American comic Reginald D Hunter openly used a deeply offensive racist term during his act.
FA chairman David Bernstein was one of the dignitaries who squirmed his way through Hunter’s extraordinary act.
Controversial: Comedian Reginald D Hunter used racial slurs during his act at the PFA awards
Amazingly, the comedian opened his act with a joke about Suarez, one of six players named on the official PFA shortlist. The Liverpool striker was banned for eight games after he racially abused Patrice Evra and was an invited guest at the annual dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.
Paul Elliott, who had to step down from his role at the FA after racially abusing Richard Rufus, was also among the attendees.
The comedian admitted that his act had not gone down well with guests.
Squirmed: FA Chairman David Bernstein was among those who looked uncomfortable through the act
PFA chiefs, led by chief executive Gordon Taylor, have made huge strides in recent years with anti-racism initiatives.
Asked whether it was a mistake to allow Hunter to perform, Taylor replied: 'No, no, don't be silly. Are you serious? I think there were a few raised eyebrows over the comedian, but that is the sort of thing you can't control. It was unfortunate.
'He is a professional comedian. It's a difficult subject in football and with him not being fully aware of how emotive it has been in football, that was probably a difficulty for him.'
PFA chairman Clarke Carlisle, however, was furious and vowed to find out how the comedian was booked for an event televised by Sky Sports.
Unimpressed: Clarke Carlisle (centre) vowed to get to the bottom of the booking
Teams of the year
Championship:
Schmeichel (Leicester); Trippier (Burnley), Morgan (Leicester), Hudson (Cardiff), Bridge (Brighton), Zaha (C Palace), Ince (Blackpool), Whittingham (Cardiff), Bolasie (C Palace), Murray (C Palace), Vydra (Watford).
League One: Foderingham (Swindon), Francis (B’mouth), Jones (Doncaster), Maguire (Sheff Utd), Daniels (B’mouth), Ritchie (B’mouth), Murphy (Crewe), Judge (Notts Co), Cotterill (Doncaster), McFadden (Yeovil), Clarke (Coventry).
League Two: Nelson (Gillingham), Clohessy (Southend), Barrett (Gillingham), Creswell (Southend), Martin (Gillingham), Maghoma (Burton), Pack (Cheltenham), Jones (Bradford), Myne-Williams (Port Vale), Pope (Port Vale), Cureton (Exeter).