Michael Walker on how West Ham manager Glenn Roeder has steppedinto a moral minefield with the acquisition of Lee Bowyer from LeedsUpton Park reaction: West Ham fans plananti-racism protest

When Lee Bowyer arrived back in his native east London on Wednesday night, he did so in the midst of a blizzard. And it was snowing, too.

Always take the weather with you, the song says, but Lee David Bowyer might reject that. In Bowyer's world it is always raining opinion, and this week has seen another downpour.

It culminated yesterday in John Giles calling him a footballer whose actions can "turn the stomach" and disillusioned West Ham United supporters organising a demonstration outside Upton Park before today's game with Newcastle United.

So the blizzard will continue for another 24 hours at least. Bowyer is fed up with it all, does not wish to speak about the dissent he provokes, and gives the impression of being unconcerned that he is the cause of the precipitation.

Part of his unrepentant demeanour stems from the fact he was found not guilty of attacking Sarfraz Najeib in Leeds exactly three years ago. To show remorse would be an admission of guilt, and with the Najeib family's lawyers having served him with papers notifying a civil action "based on race", he remains silent, as advised - although in the past he has denied being a racist and said he would defend this claim.

The papers were delivered before Christmas in response to Bowyer trying to get the clothes he wore on the night of the assault returned from police forensics.

Yet as his new manager Glenn Roeder acknowledged at West Ham's training ground yesterday afternoon, a few carefully chosen words from Bowyer could help alter the climate. "That is a decision Lee has got to make for himself," said Roeder. "In a free country he shouldn't be forced, but if he chooses (to speak) then I am sure we'd all be happy."

For a man who has stepped into a moral minefield, Roeder had a neutralising effect on the debate yesterday. It is to be hoped he has the same effect on his new £300,000 signing.

Not only did Roeder advocate Bowyer addressing wider questions, the West Ham manager said he would be willing to meet members of the sizable Asian community in east London perturbed at Bowyer's alleged involvement in the attack on Najeib - not forgetting Bowyer's conviction for affray and an alleged "Paki" remark toward a McDonald's employee in 1996.

Roeder then mentioned West Ham's Asians in the Community programme and the club's support for Kick Out Racism. A man with a team at the foot of the Premiership, Roeder could do without all this. But, having bought Bowyer for substantially less than the fee Liverpool were prepared to pay six months ago, the fallout is a price he and West Ham are willing to pay.

Bowyer and Roeder are members of a mutual desperation society where each offers the other a ladder to get out of their respective predicaments

Redemption is a great sports yarn but, in this one, morality has no speaking part other than from behind the curtain.

"We're not here to talk about morals," Roeder said. "We're here to talk about football. The only issue I weighed up was would Lee Bowyer be an asset to our team? I decided he would be. I understand there is baggage that comes with Lee and he knows there is baggage wherever he moves. I believe that as a footballer it will work out. If anything happens outside of that I will take that responsibility. From now on Lee Bowyer comes under Glenn Roeder's care."

Roeder has not been alone in wanting to avoid the broader subject. Bobby Robson, who also tried to sign Bowyer this week, said "No comment" when asked on Thursday.

At Elland Road they speak anonymously of Bowyer, but one senior figure at the club said on Wednesday: "Is there relief at Leeds to see Lee Bowyer go? Yes, of course. Does it make it easier for Leeds to extend its work in the community? Yes, of course."

The same day Clyde Best, West Ham's former striker, said: "Lee Bowyer has to say that he has no racist thoughts. But he has to mean it. If he has racist thoughts then he needs counselling to get rid of them because he would need help."

On the other hand, Bowyer's new team-mate Jermain Defoe said of him: "He's a nice lad, not a madman. He is just aggressive, someone in the middle who can win the ball and who is good going forward. When you watch him play and see him going in for 50-50s you can see he is a winner - just what we want."

Like Best, Defoe is claret and blue, and black. So, too, is Bobby Barnes. Now the Professional Footballers' Association delegate on Kick Out Racism, Barnes comprehends West Ham, Newcastle and racism in a way few can. In a match for West Ham at St James' Park in 1984 he was pelted with bananas. Roeder was playing for Newcastle.

"I remember that game well," said Barnes. "Those were the bad days. St James' Park was one of those places; so was Leeds. But football has moved on, the players are much more multicultural and so, slowly, are the crowds.

"As for Lee Bowyer, West Ham are in a position where they have to gamble. I think Glenn would look at Bowyer and see the qualities his team needs. Any publicity of a certain nature is not going to be good and you can't dress it up, but what you hope is that people will learn. I'm not an apologist for Lee Bowyer - he's made mistakes - but in his high-profile case he was innocent. Purely in football terms, it is good business by West Ham."

So we reach the bottom line: numbers. This 26-year-old of nine professional seasons and 75 yellow cards (eight in 22 games since August) has arrived at a club with 16 points and 17 fixtures to save them from a relegation that will cost a minimum of £14 million.

On the night of the attack - three years ago tomorrow - Sarfraz Najeib sustained three broken ribs, one broken leg, one broken nose and one bite mark on his cheek.

West Ham fans will protest against racism and the signing of Lee Bowyer outside Upton Park today, and plan to greet the midfielder's introduction to the crowd with a show of yellow cards, writes Jon Brodkin. The cards bear the message "West Ham fans united against racism" and demonstrators will also distribute 5,000 leaflets saying they are "appalled" by the signing of Bowyer and calling on the club to "reaffirm its total commitment to anti-racism".

The protest has been organised by fans forming under the name "West Ham fans united against racism". It will be attended by Suresh Grover, chairman of the British National Civil Rights Movement and co-ordinator of the campaign for the family of Sarfraz Najeib, the Asian student at the centre of the case involving Bowyer and his former Leeds team-mate Jonathan Woodgate, in which Bowyer was acquitted. "Sunday marks the third anniversary of the attack on Sarfraz, which nearly saw him killed," Grover said. "The National Civil Rights Movement will support any fair-minded action by West Ham fans, or people in east London, to ensure racism is stamped out of football altogether."

Some West Ham fans have said they will not attend matches while Bowyer is there. The leaflet clarifies their opposition.

"We are West Ham fans, lifelong supporters, proud of our club and proud too of the best East End traditions of opposition to all forms of racism," it states. "We are appalled at the club's decision to sign Lee Bowyer.

"What message does this give to the local community? How are we to attract black and Asian fans to the Boleyn when we sign someone like Bowyer? Yes, we are in a desperate fight against relegation and times are tough but this is no reason to throw overboard the wonderful traditions of our club, nor undo all the good the club has done in building links to the local community."