Sterling pens letter to racially abused boy and says 'stand tall'

Manchester City star Raheem Sterling sent a letter to a 13-year-old goalkeeper after hearing he had been racially abused advising him to "stand tall and be proud of who you are".

Sterling himself was the subject of alleged racist abuse from Chelsea fans in a Premier League match in December.

He wrote the letter on club headed paper when informed by Ethan Ross's grandmother he had been "through a tough time with racial abuse." Ross, a goalkeeper with the Under-14 team at fourth-tier Newport County, had been racially abused at his school.

"Dear Ethan, I have recently been told from your loving Nanna Sue about the tough time you are having with racial abuse," wrote Sterling, who also enclosed signed photographs of the Manchester City squad.

"Remember to stand tall and be proud of who you are and don't let them take away your courage. You are strong and very brave, and your Nanna is also very proud of you. Keep being you kid.

"Remember speaking up doesn't always make life easy, but easy never changed anything."
"I can hear it in his voice. He has shown the letter to his friends and it has just gone absolutely mad."