IT was two years ago in Serbia that Burnley striker Marvin Sordell was inspired to make a difference.

Sordell will never forget how that trip to Krusevac with the England Under-21 team ended.

England qualified for the European Championships but racist abuse aimed at several players led to ugly scuffles at the final whistle.

That Sordell was one of many understandably enraged as the teams made their way off the field says much about how badly he and his colleagues were treated that night.

The 23-year-old is not a confrontational person. Thoughtful and mild-mannered, he addresses local schoolchildren with eloquence as he joins the Show Racism The Red Card campaign at Turf Moor.

It is not the only campaign Sordell was inspired to join that week in Serbia.

An avid reader, he took Sophie Hayes’ book Trafficked on that trip and returned eager to help the cause of the author, setting up the Marvin Sordell Foundation.

For Sordell, life is all about education – whether the subject is human trafficking or racism.

“Education is the number one thing when it comes to racism,” he says.

“Nobody is born racist. It’s something that happens through poor education.”

Perhaps the most shocking thing about the scenes in Krusevac in 2012 was that it was the second time in the space of a fortnight that Sordell had suffered racist abuse.

The first was in England, for Bolton at Millwall. Sordell was abused as he warmed up on the touchline and reported the incident.

The supporter in question was banned, but Sordell still had to endure further abuse. Six Millwall fans were arrested at a subsequent home match after unveiling a banner criticising Sordell.

“There was a big thing made about it but at the end of the day it got dealt with, which was the key thing,” Sordell says now.

“I had that situation at Millwall and in Serbia as well, but they are things that are in my past now.

"In Serbia it was quite a hostile environment and they may just have been doing it to throw us off our game.

“As I’ve grown older I’ve understood it’s about some people not actually understanding what they’re saying really means.

"They may not understand that what they are saying is actually harmful, they may just think it’s a bit of banter, it boils down to education.

“For players it’s about trying to get the officials on the day to deal with it, that’s what they say is the correct way of reporting it, to go to the referee, that’s all you can really do.

"I’d say the situation is improving a bit - from the 60s, 70s or 80s it’s come a long way.

"It’s about continuing that until racism isn’t even a discussion any more.

"I hope that can be the case.”

It is something he hopes will also be true of human trafficking.

“The end goal is to one day help eradicate human trafficking,” he says.

“I like to try to read as much as I can - eventually I’ll have quite a large library.

"I’m reading a psychology book at the moment and it’s very intriguing.

“I read a book called Trafficked and I met up with Sophie Hayes on her ordeal of being trafficked.

“I wanted to do something to try to help to raise some money and awareness.

"I started a charitable foundation, we got on board with another charity called Sport For Freedom and did an event last April.

"Moving forward that’s something I’d like to really help with.

“It’s difficult obviously with time and moving around but I try to do what I can.”

Sordell’s travels have taken him from south to north twice over.

A promising star at Sean Dyche’s Watford, he got his dream move to the Premier League with Bolton only to suffer relegation before he had started a match.

There was a loan spell with Charlton before he returned to Lancashire for another crack at the top flight with Dyche at Burnley this summer.

He has started twice in the league this season – getting the nod against boyhood club Arsenal.

“It’s been brilliant here,” Sordell says.

“I’m not expecting to just be going into every game, I wasn’t expecting that when I came here to be honest.

"The team did very well last season and I’ve come here to push the players that are ahead of me.

"Football’s about patience and it’s a long season. I just have to be ready.

“To be honest starting at Arsenal is probably a bit more special looking back at it because on the day you just go out there and play football.

"But a couple of my family and friends were there and it was a good experience.”

Sordell chuckles at reports that he was homesick for London during his time with Bolton.

“I was told I was homesick because I used to go home, but I go home to see my family and friends now, it’s no different,” he said.

“I’m living in Manchester where I was living before. I enjoy the city.”

He is enjoying working with Dyche again, but insists he does not regret leaving Watford for Bolton.

“He gets the best out of players,” Sordell says.

“I worked with him at Watford and he did the same there.

“I don’t hold any regrets in football because you need to take any opportunities that come and I’d do the same all over again.

"But I’m hoping I can repay his faith in me.”