Peterborough's Jonson Clarke-Harris calls out racist abuse on Instagram

Jonson Clarke-Harris is Peterborough United's captain

A League One club is working with the English Football League after their captain was subjected to "disgusting" racist abuse on social media.

Peterborough United's skipper Jonson Clarke-Harris, 28, detailed the abuse on his Instagram account.

Clarke-Harris, who has played for the Jamaican national squad, said although he did not like to "post profanity... these people need to be exposed".

A spokesman for the Posh said the club was supporting Clarke-Harris.

The abusive messages appear to be from someone who was unhappy that Clarke-Harris appeared in a Team of the Season pack on the video game FIFA 23, as first reported by the Peterborough Telegraph.

Writing on his Instagram account, with a screenshot of the messages he received, Clarke-Harris said: "I really don't like to post profanity on my social media where alot [sic] of minors follow me, but there becomes a point when these people need to be exposed and everyone needs to understand the level of racism me and other ethnic players receive over a football game."

Clarke-Harris's club described the abuse as "alarming"

Phil Adlam, a spokesman for Peterborough United, described the abuse as "very alarming".

He told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "The language that's been used is disgusting and the fact it seems to be stemming from console games... and they choose to racially abuse someone via their own social network - it just beggars belief."

He said Clarke-Harris had received "a total of five messages now from five different accounts".

"Jonson obviously is someone [who] just feels that in today's society it's crazy that people are still doing this and thinking that they can get away with doing this," he said.

"These are probably from people who've never met Jonson, [have] never seen him, and they're just using their frustration through a video game to bring it into real life - and seem to think there are no consequences for doing that."

He said the EFL had been made aware of the case and added that the team was "supporting Jonson as best we can".

An EFL spokesman said it was offering support to Clarke-Harris and the club.

He said the case had been referred to the UK Football Policing Unit - an organisation that works with the Home Office and the National Police Chiefs Council Football Lead (NPCC) to reduce violence, antisocial behaviour and disorder at matches involving UK teams.

Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Got a story? Email [e-mail] or WhatsApp us on 0800 169 1830