Former Tottenham and Newcastle United star Les Ferdinand was shocked by Danny Rose's red card at the end of England U21's victory in Serbia last night.

Ferdinand reacted to Tottenham wing-back Rose's outrageous treatment in the madhouse of Krusevac with incredulous rage.

Former England striker Ferdinand, an exemplary standard-bearer for black players, warned: "If the only red card was for kicking the ball away after the final whistle, we are getting our priorities wrong again."

Rose, subjected to racist abuse from a hostile crowd, was laughably singled out for a token act of frustration while Serbia's sore losers sparked running battles all over the pitch and down the tunnel.

And Sir Les, a dignified and measured critic of football's commitment to purging the game of racism, blasted: "I am in no mood to lecture other countries about their attitude to the problem when we still haven't got our own house in order."