Calls have been made tonight for police to investigate apparent racist abuse directed at two Cobblers players by a ‘troll’ on Twitter.
The abuse has been levelled at Clarke Carlisle and Adebayo Akinfenwa, two of Northampton Town’s high profile black footballers.
Mr Carlisle is chairman of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), while Mr Akinfenwa is the club’s talismanic centre forward.
The Twitter user, called ‘Ben’, sent two vile messages to Mr Carlisle, using four-letter expletives and a racist term.
He also sent an abusive message to Mr Akinfenwa, again using offensive language towards him.
According to his Twitter profile, the troll is from Cheltenham, where Cobblers won through to the final of the League Two Play-off Final on Sunday.
However, it is unclear whether he is affiliated with the club in any way.
Fans have reacted with outrage, however, taking to the social networking site to urge Gloucestershire Police to investigate the abuse.
In a tweet just after 9pm, a spokesman for Northampton Town confirmed the matter had been referred to the police.
Last year, a Twitter troll was jailed after he abused a footballer who collapsed during a match.
Student, Liam Stacey, aged 21, was jailed for inciting racial hatred for comments made while the Fabrice Muamba still lay on the pitch.
Stacey, a Swansea University biology undergraduate, was quickly tracked down, arrested and later jailed for 56 days at the same court.