Professional Footballers Association chairman Clarke Carlisle has criticised Rio and Anton Ferdinand in a strongly worded attack on players who chose not to support last year’s anti-racism T-shirt demonstration.

The brothers, Manchester United defender Rio and then-QPR player Anton, were among several prominent black players who opted not to wear shirts issued by campaigning group Kick It Out before a round of Premier League fixtures last October.

Manchester City’s Joleon Lescott and Reading striker Jason Roberts were also high-profile figures in the boycott.