Chelsea Football Club's Israeli manager Avram Grant has been sent dozens of anti-Semitic e-mails and letters from people claiming to be the club's fans since becoming its manager, it has emerged.

News of the virulent hate campaign became public after the club's training ground had to be evacuated on an emergency footing yesterday when a suspicious package containing white powder was received along with threats.

MPs campaigning against racism are so concerned about the campaign Mr Grant faces - launched since he was appointed the club's boss last September - that they have called for a specific campaign against anti-Semitism in soccer to go alongside the 'Kick Racism Out of Football' project currently in operation.

Denis MacShane, the former Labour Minister who recently published a study into UK anti-Semitism, disclosed to Times Online that he himself had received dozens of e-mails since September, several of which had been copied to an e-mail address purporting to be Grant's and the club's Russian-Jewish owner, Roman Abramovich, along with several other MPs.

He claimed that an element of the campaign appeared to be coming from people claiming to be football supporters, not simply outside extremists. A Chelsea Football Club source also confirmed today that their manager had received hate-mail in the past, although the club would not officially comment.

One message, sent to the MP, Grant and Abramovich, forwarded to Times Online, said: "I have been a Chelsea supporter since 1968. And Chelsea has always been a White, English, Christian football club in the land of St George. I would rather see Chelsea playing in the Isthmian league, than see you Jewish b******* ruin it with Russian, American and nasty israeli terrorist jews."

A far-right presence is long known to have existed among Chelsea supporters in previous decades, although this was believed to have been diminishing in recent years. Mr MacShane said that the e-mail campaign appeared to show there was still a problem within football, and not simply within a fringe band of extremists outside.

"I have been absolutely horrified at e-mails I, and other MPs, have received of a hideous anti-Jewish nature since Mr Grant has become Chelsea manager," said Mr MacShane, who is now a backbencher and after serving as Europe Minister under Tony Blair.

"I believe that the time may have come to launch a parralel movement to kick anti-Semitism out of football, as well as the general Kick Racism out of Football campaign, which has been very successful.

"Reports of continuing racist chants from Chelsea fans, as well as those at clubs like West Ham, are evidence that anti-Semitism still exists within football stadiums.

"I have received dozens of e-mails, many of which were copied in to Grant and Abramovich, with some pretty nasty stuff in them. We must not brush this under the carpet by saying it is just an outside problem."

Chelsea would make no official comment on the claims. However, a source at the club appeared to indicate that the former Israel national team manager had received items of mail, telling Times Online: "I would refer you to the statement of Bruce Buck (the club's chairman) last year, saying that he had received some. Those comments stand."

Speaking in October, Mr Buck said, of the the fans' messages to Mr Grant: "We welcome all constructive points of view. But there have been a few which could be viewed as racist and anti-Semitic and that must stop immediately.

"This is one thing we will not tolerate, whether in written correspondence, on the chat pages, on posters or banners, or through singing and chanting. It unfairly smears the reputation of the vast majority of the Chelsea fans who rightly do not want to be associated with such activity."

Yesterday Chelsea Football Club's training ground in Cobham, Surrey, was sealed off after a member of staff opened a suspicious package including powder, which later turned out to be harmless. A note addressed to Grant claimed it was lethal.

A police source was quoted today as saying that the note to Grant, 52, included the words: "You are a back-stabbing Jewish b******. When you open this letter you will die a very slow and painful death."

Death threats of a sexual nature were also made to Grant’s wife, Tzofit, a well-known TV personality in the couple’s native Israel.

A Chelsea spokesman said today: "A suspicious package was sent to the Chelsea Football Club training ground.

"The regular procedure for dealing with such matters was activated, and police and other services were called. A harmless substance was discovered. The matter is still being investigated."

A spokesman for Surrey Police said: "We were called to Chelsea’s training ground at Cobham at 12.15pm yesterday after they received a suspicious package.

"A white powder contained within the package was analysed by specialists from Surrey Fire Service and was determined to be a harmless substance.

"Detectives are continuing investigations to identify the source of the package."

At the time of the note, Grant and Chelsea were in Athens ahead of last night’s Champions League 0-0 draw with Olympiakos. The Chelsea manager has not commented personally on the issue.