With the rise in online abuse in sport recently as a club Shawbury United FC are joining many clubs in informing the local community of their stance towards such abuse on social media.

Shawbury United FC engages with the local community on a near daily basis via our social media channels on Twitter and Facebook in order to keep the community updated on club and team matters. This is primarily to provide news, fixtures, match reports, and to share club videos and images.

Shawbury United FC welcomes feedback from the community via our social media channels. We greatly value such engagement and interaction. We also appreciate members of the community are entitled to voice their criticisms of the club when appropriate. However, as a family and community club, we will not tolerate social media comments that are threatening, abusive, discriminatory, insulting or that contain obscene language, irrespective of whether such comments are aimed at the club, its staff or volunteers or any supporters of Shawbury United FC or the opposition.

In such circumstances, we will take appropriate action against the individuals concerned. This may include temporary or permanent bans from the club's Facebook page, individuals being temporarily or permanently blocked by our Twitter account, and user accounts being reported to the relevant authorities.
In extreme cases, the club will not hesitate to involve the police. Online abuse is a growing and worrying trend in sport. Vile abuse of club players, staff or volunteers can have a significant impact on individuals and their families and Shawbury United FC has a duty of care to all those who represent and volunteer for our club.

We remain extremely appreciative of the support that the club receives from the local community and accept that the issues raised in this policy will be an extremely rare occurrence. Nevertheless, it is important that the club makes its position clear on these matters for the benefit of all involved and connected to Shawbury United FC.