A black professional footballer has become the first to sue his club for race discrimination in a landmark employment tribunal claim.
Striker Mark McCammon, 33, claims that he and other black players at Gillingham FC were treated less favourably than white players.
He alleges that the League Two club took different stances over punishments handed out for missing training, medical treatment for injuries and pay cuts after relegation from League One.
McCammon's explosive case comes after David Cameron last week hosted a summit at 10 Downing Street amid widespread concern over racism in football.
It follows high-profile incidents involving Chelsea and England defender John Terry and Liverpool forward Luis Suarez.
McCammon is suing his former club and Paul Scally, its Dubai-based chairman, for race discrimination and unfair dismissal.
He is seeking substantial compensation for lost earnings and injury to feelings.
His claims will be heard at Ashford employment tribunal in Kent later this year.
Barbados international McCammon signed a three-year contract with League Two club Gillingham in 2008.
He lodged his tribunal claim on April 29 last year before the end of the 2010/11 season.
The following month, the club revealed that he was being released by manager Andy Hessenthaler.
Over the three seasons, he made 52 league appearances for Gillingham and scored five goals.
Since being axed by Gillingham, McCammon has made only a single appearance for Conference team Braintree Town and is now without a club.
His claims are strongly denied by Gillingham.
A club spokesman said: 'The allegations made by Mark McCammon are wholly rejected by the club.
'It would not be appropriate for the club to comment further until the employment tribunal hearing has taken place.'Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, revealed that it had tried in vain to mediate in the dispute.
He said: 'This is a very unusual case. We had hoped to settle the matter within football but that hasn't happened on this occasion, so the tribunal will have to resolve it on matters of fact.'
McCammon has had public spats with some of his previous managers.
In 2004, he criticised then Millwall manager Dennis Wise for freezing him out while on a month's loan at Brighton and hove Albion.
He said: 'When I was left out of the Millwall team, Dennis Wise and Ray Wilkins told me I needed to get into better positions and to work harder.
'But that was rubbish, because the ball was never coming to me. I much prefer the way we play at Brighton, where the ball comes forward quickly.'
In 2006, he told a BBC phone-in show that he had 'differences' with then Brighton boss Mark McGhee.
He called the show after the host said he was not worth a place in the Brighton side.
McCammon fumed: 'Until you kick a ball in professional football, you can't tell me I'm not good enough for this standard.
In 2004, McCammon criticised his then Millwall manager Dennis Wise for freezing him out while on a month's loan at Brighton and hove Albion
'I think what you said is very disrespectful.'
And in January 2010, he issued a public statement complaining that then Gillingham boss Mark Stimson had ordered him to train with the youth team.
In it, he said: 'It has disappointed me to have been told in confidence by some members of the team that they believe my treatment appears to be personal after expressing my views with regards to how we were set up tactically.
'In my career I have played under many fantastic managers, including such respected figures as Steve Coppell, Dennis Wise and Sean O'Driscoll to name a few and not one of these great managers has asked me to train with the youth team, which I was asked to do today.
'It would appear based on these facts that the manager may be trying to force me out despite the fact that I am committed to the club.'
McCammon was born in England but has played five times for Barbados, scoring four goals.
He began his career at Cambridge United in the old Third Division.
His clubs have since included Charlton Athletic, then in the Premier League, Swindon Town, Brentford, Millwall, Brighton and Hove Albion and Doncaster Rovers.
His case emerged after David Cameron stepped into the row over racism in football and warned the sport cannot brush the issue under the carpet any longer.
He convened a meeting at 10 Downing Street attended by former England players John Barnes and Graeme Le Saux, as well as representatives of the Football Association, Premier League, Football League, Professional Footballers' Association and League Managers' Association.
The Government has given the FA two months to come up with a firm action plan to tackle issues of discrimination.
Former England captain John Terry is due to stand trial over the summer on charges that he racially abused QPR's Anton Ferdinand.
And earlier this month, Luis Suarez was forced to apologise for refusing to shake hands with Manchester United's Patrice Evra before the teams played at Old Trafford.
Suarez had only just returned to action after an eight-match ban for racially abusing Evra during a match in October.
