A FORMER Addicks defender from Orpington is being sued by an ex-Charlton player after calling him "n*****" in a text message.

Paul Elliott, who had been involved in the Professional Footballers’ Association Kick It Out campaign against racism, sent the text to Richard Rufus during a row over a failed business venture.

The 49-year-old, who also played for Chelsea and Celtic, texted Mr Rufus: "Ur a stupid man n*****", adding "you dog. Ur history my friend".

Reports about the row surfaced in February, and five days later Mr Elliott resigned from Kick It Out.

He put a statement on its website to explain his actions.

But Mr Rufus, 38, is now seeking £150,000 libel damages, claiming Mr Elliott wrongly accused him of "leaking information to the press".

Mr Elliott’s statement referred to a "former friend and business partner" who had "made public an SMS text message" sent by Mr Elliott which contained a term "widely known as being derogatory to my own community".

Mr Rufus argues this implied he "acted dishonourably" by exposing the message and betraying Mr Elliott, and insists he was not the source of newspaper revelations about the fallout between the two men.

Mr Rufus, of Purley, said: "I’m determined to put the record straight. I am left with no alternative but to seek vindication in the courts."

Mr Elliott was awarded a CBE last year for services to equality and diversity in football.