Brady and Critchley support social media boycott after Blackpool player suffers racist abuse

Seasiders boss condems 'cowardly' abuse sent to winger
Grant Ward.Grant Ward.
Grant Ward.

Cobblers boss Jon Brady and Blackpool counterpart Neil Critchley have both given their full backing to this weekend's mass boycott of social media.

There will be no coverage on Twitter or Facebook of this weekend's game between Northampton and the Seasiders after both clubs joined the rest of the football community in boycotting all social media platforms.

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The FA, Premier League, EFL, FA Women’s Super League, FA Women’s Championship, PFA, LMA, PGMOL, Kick It Out and the FSA will all unite from 3pm this afternoon (Friday) to midnight the next Monday.

“It’s something we are massively behind,” said Brady. “It’s great to see that football is coming together to tackle the online hate – it’s hugely important we do something.

“The racist, sexist and homophobic abuse is something we need to tackle and we have to take a stand together – managers, staff, players, clubs and people in the general public.

“Everybody must take a stance on this and stand strong together and fight together because we need to set the right example to future generations and it’s something that we need to tackle head on.”

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The need to take action was highlighted only this week when Blackpool winger Grant Ward was racially abused on Instagram.

The message was sent to Ward at 9pm on Tuesday, just minutes after Blackpool claimed a crucial 1-0 victory over promotion rivals Sunderland.

Critchley said: “Unfortunately of late this has become really prevalent in society and much more so on social media because people can hide their real identities. It’s a cowardly way of attacking somebody.

“I said a few weeks ago it’s quite sad and it deflates you. It makes you question the world we live in when you hate someone so much you want to hurt them. It’s disgusting.

“We’re joining in with the social media blackout and quite rightly so. We should all make a stand together.

“These companies need to do a lot more to stop this from happening. It shouldn’t happen.”