Online abuse has led to Anthony Taylor not refereeing a match this weekend but that can only mean temporary respite and more has to be done – including some help from the Premier League’s players
Anthony Taylor has been taken out of the firing line this weekend after receiving death threats on social media following the match between Bournemouth and Chelsea last weekend.
Instead, he will be the fourth official for the Southampton-Ipswich fixture on Saturday and for the Brighton-Nottingham Forest game on Sunday. Which means he will probably just get pelters from managers and backroom staff rather than players.
Taylor is well accustomed to abuse, in person and online. Apparently, thousands of people with nothing better to do signed a petition calling for Taylor to be ‘punished’ and the game to be replayed after the English referee’s performance in the Euro 2024 quarter-final between Germany and Spain, which the hosts deservedly lost.
And, of course, Jose Mourinho – in his own despicable way – confronted Taylor in a car park after his staggeringly dull Roma side were beaten by Sevilla on penalties in the 2023 Europa League final. Taylor later had to run a gauntlet of verbal and physical abuse at Budapest Airport.
But just because Taylor is familiar with moronic, threatening behaviour, it does not mean it does not hurt. Just because it is mainly from faceless empty-heads with desperately sad existences does not mean it does not hurt.
And if Taylor and the Professional Game Match Officials Board is waiting for social media companies to do anything about it, they are in cloud-cuckoo land. It might have sent a defiant message had Taylor, a perfectly competent referee, been in the middle for a high-profile match this weekend.
But for him to be given some respite is understandable and what Taylor and his colleagues could do with, in terms of support, is help from those who also know what it is like to suffer horrendous online abuse. The players.
How can they help? Well, first up, don’t commit the sort of petty crime that leads to a booking. Secondly, and more significantly, don’t play-act with the intention of getting someone booked and don’t scream for them to be booked.
If the game was not so awash with con-artistry, we would not have the proliferation of yellow cards that reached a peak when Taylor brandished those 14 during Chelsea’s 1-0 win at Bournemouth. Thirdly, and even more importantly, players could use their platforms – TV, traditional media and social media – to back referees, to remind fans that the game would not go ahead without them.
To his credit, don’t forget, Declan Rice was not overly critical of Chris Kavanagh after that controversial second yellow card at the Emirates in Arsenal’s game against Brighton at the end of last month.
Taylor is a referee who is highly respected by players but they are probably too scared to admit that to online idiots. They should not be. When it comes to tackling the scourge of abuse, players AND referees should be a united front.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
