Darlington & Scarborough fined after misogynistic abuse towards official

The female match official received several incidences of misogynistic abuse during the game in January

Darlington and Scarborough will appoint supporter liaison officers to help avoid a repeat of misogynistic abuse towards a female match official which led to a Football Association fine.

The two clubs were fined £1,000 for their fans' conduct, with another £500 suspended, after the National League North game at Scarborough on 2 January.

Players were taken off the field because of the abuse at the time.

Both clubs have imposed bans on supporters since the incident.

The investigation by the regulatory commission resulted in both clubs admitting that they failed to ensure supporters conducted themselves in an orderly fashion.

Case notes published by the FA outlined that supporters in both the home and away areas of the ground had contributed to numerous instances of abuse towards the female official, which prompted warnings and then a 40-minute stoppage.

The report said the commission saw "no evidence of any formal contingency plans in the event of such discriminatory chanting".

However, it said Scarborough "reacted relatively quickly" once the misconduct of supporters had been brought to the club's attention, including making an announcement over the public address system, working with police, and safety officers did eject perpetrators from the ground.

The commission ruled that both clubs must now follow action plans, which include the appointment of the officers, clear communication with fans and engagement in campaigns such as 'Kick it Out' and 'Her Game Too'.