STEVENAGE caretaker manager Mark Sampson was charged today by the Football Association with making an allegedly racist comment.

The former England Women head coach, who took interim charge at the Hertfordshire club in September, is accused of making the remark about a player during a conversation about transfer targets.

The FA said Sampson has until December 6 to respond to the charge.

Stevenage said in September that an internal investigation into the matter had found that there was no case for Sampson to answer.

The club said at the time that the allegation was reported to the FA by phone “by a former coach the day after he was told by Sampson that he no longer required his services at the club.”

Sampson was sacked as England Women head coach by the FA in September 2017 following allegations of “inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour” in his previous role as manager at Bristol Academy.

He had also been the focus of bullying and racism claims, first made by Eni Aluko and then Drew Spence.

The FA said that those allegations were investigated and Sampson was cleared of any wrongdoing.

But Sampson, who reached a financial settlement with the FA over his dismissal in January this year, conceded he should have handled the claims differently, saying it would always be a “big regret” and apologising unreservedly to the two players.