Neil Warnock explains why Middlesbrough's players won't be taking a knee ahead of Saturday's game against Millwall

The symbolic gesture that was adopted by the Black Lives Matter movement has become a common feature at all levels of English football in the fight against racism.

Boro players stopped taking a knee before their game at QPR in September, with Assombalonga saying it’s time for “action instead of empty statements.”

Many clubs have continued to take the knee, which led to a section of Millwall supporters booing the gesture at the start of a match against Derby earlier this month.

In Millwall’s next game against QPR on Tuesday, supporters cheered and clapped as players from both sides linked arms and held an anti-racism banner before the match at The Den.

Ahead of Saturday’s game against Millwall at the Riverside, Warnock was asked about players taking the knee.

“We won’t be taking the knee, Britt Assombalonga the captain came to see me weeks ago about the situation and explained his views with the rest of the team and I support him,” said the Boro boss.

“I think we will probably do something like QPR and Millwall did in the week, the banner, I think that made the point more than the knee. We are all of the same opinion about what we are trying to achieve.

“It’s just that our lads don’t think the knee is relevant, they don’t agree with the political side of that so Britt said.”

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