Mr Bates was giving evidence in a libel trial brought against him by Melvyn Levi at London's High Court.

The anti-Semitic claims play no part in Mr Levi's claim.

Mr Levi alleges defamatory comments were made about him in a number of Leeds United programmes and a letter Mr Bates sent to fans during 2006 and 2007. The articles accused Mr Levi of being a "shyster", an enemy within, of attempting to blackmail investors and scaring off investors.

Mr Bates denies libel and says his comments had qualified privilege as the allegations were in the public interest.

The comments were made in the wake of Mr Bates's takeover of Leeds United Football Club and his falling out with Mr Levi, a director under the previous regime.

Yesterday Mr Bates told the judge, Sir Charles Grey, he believed Mr Levi had "played the race card".

Simon Myerson QC, cross-examining Mr Bates, asked the 77-year-old: "Is that really what you think?"

Mr Bates replied: "Yes, that's a problem. If people from ethnic minorities have problems, rather than accept that they're wrong or ... are incompetent it is not their failing, It's because of 'where I'm from'. It's the last excuse of the failing.

"We've had this experience at Elland Road...when somebody's not doing their job, when they lose it it's unfortunately the race relations industry who say 'Is it because of who you are?' and they say 'Yes'."

Later, under re-examination by Ronald Thwaites QC, Mr Bates said he had been making a point about people who use race to disguise their failings.

During his time in the stand Mr Bates also compared his first board meetings at Elland Road to a "cross between rugby scrum and feeding time at the monkey house" where champagne was "drunk like water".

Earlier the court heard more details about an allegation that current Chelsea owner, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, wanted to shoot Mr Bates.

Mr Myerson QC asked Mr Bates to confirm that he was told about the allegation by George Canning, a middleman representing an Irish consortium looking to invest in United in 2006.

Mr Canning had been told the information by Mr Levi.

Mr Bates said after he heard the allegations he told club solicitor Peter McCormick and he referred it to west Yorkshire police who interviewed Mr Canning in February 2007 but no further action was taken.

Both sides will now give their final written submissions.