Everton issues statement of support towards James Tarkowski following death threats and social media abuse..
Everton have come out in support of James Tarkowski after the defender and his family received death threats and social media abuse following his tackle on Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday.
The on-field referee dished out a yellow card for Tarkowski’s late studs-up follow-through on the Argentine midfielder but the referees’ body PGMOL later issued a statement suggesting he should have been sent off for the severity of the tackle.
“Everton Football Club is aware of threats made towards James Tarkowski and his family on social media. Such behaviour is completely unacceptable and has no place in football or society,” read a Toffees statement.
“The club is liaising with James and his wife Samantha, and stands ready to engage with the social media companies and assist the police with any potential investigation. Everton strongly condemns any form of online or offline intimidation, threats or abuse directed at players, staff, or their families.”
The club’s manager David Moyes has also said that such abuse is ‘not acceptable’ in the pre-match press conference as Everton are set to face Arsenal this weekend following their 1-0 loss to Liverpool.
“The club have issued a statement,” Moyes said. “It’s not acceptable for anybody in any walk of life. We have to hold our hands up.
“After looking at it again, I believe it could have been a sending off but I don’t think that should mean you get abused online because of that. It’s part of football. He made what looked at the time what I thought was a very good tackle but looking at it again I thought it was a bit reckless.”
Tarkowski’s wife Samantha posted on Instagram about the abuse that her husband had been receiving and called it “beyond disgusting”.
“The level of abuse my husband is receiving wishing death on him, vile comments about me, about us as a couple and about him as a person is beyond disgusting,” she said.
“People forget that he is more than just a footballer. He is a husband, a son, a brother, a friend and most importantly the father of our two children.
“Football is a sport, but the way some so-called fans behave is disgraceful. The abuse, the threats – it’s not passion, it’s pathetic. We’re real people and this goes far beyond football.”
In the aftermath of the challenge, Tarkowski was seen speaking to Mac Allister after the final whistle and even said that the Liverpool midfielder had accepted his apology. “I spoke to him and apologised because it was not a great tackle,” he told Premier League Productions.
“Football is a sport, but the way some so-called fans behave is disgraceful. The abuse, the threats – it’s not passion, it’s pathetic. We’re real people and this goes far beyond football.”
In the aftermath of the challenge, Tarkowski was seen speaking to Mac Allister after the final whistle and even said that the Liverpool midfielder had accepted his apology. “I spoke to him and apologised because it was not a great tackle,” he told Premier League Productions.
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