Northampton Town have introduced a new educational project aimed at fighting online abuse and discrimination in the sport. The 12-week scheme, called Cobblers Play Fair, is operated by the Northampton Town Community Trust and receives backing from the Premier League and the Professional Footballers' Association Players' Fund.
It began at Sixfields Stadium on a Tuesday, with representatives from nine schools taking part. The project will cover topics including disability, the role of women in football, and identifying damaging conduct online.
The start of the programme is a direct reaction to English Football League statistics indicating that online abuse targeting players increased twofold across two seasons.
Northampton Town defender Janoi Donacien, who serves as a secondary schools ambassador for the Trust, also endorsed it. "If we can help them to recognise harmful behaviour we are creating a healthier digital future for everyone," he said.
The community project begins as the senior team aims to enhance its performances. Northampton Town's next match is a home game against Tranmere on Saturday 20 October. The club currently sits 23rd in League Two on 7 points from 8 games, with a record of one win, four draws and three losses. They are 12 points behind the league leaders, Salford City. Their recent form has been challenging, with one win, one draw and three defeats in their last five matches. They have scored only 4 goals this season while conceding 7. Their most recent result was a 2-0 defeat away to Grimsby on Saturday 17 October, with goals from M. Warhurst and Jon Guthrie for the opposition. Prior to that, they drew 1-1 with York on Saturday 10 October, with Joe O'Brien Whitmarsh scoring their goal. They will hope for a positive result against 13th-placed Tranmere to help improve their league position.
