Port Vale has issued an indefinite ban to a supporter who sent a racist message to Leyton Orient goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux.
This ban is effective immediately and pending the outcome of police investigations into the matter.
The abusive, racist message came to light shortly after the final whistle following the Port Vale versus Leyton Orient match on Saturday, October 2.
As part of initial discussions, Port Vale’s Safety Officer was advised of the situation along with our Dedicated Football Officer who immediately contacted Lawrence privately to apologise and explain that she would investigate the matter thoroughly.
Port Vale owner Carol Shanahan also made contact with the player to personally apologise on behalf of the club.
At the same time, Port Vale also contacted the CEO and Secretary at Leyton Orient FC to advise them of the steps that had been taken on the evening of the game and reassure them that swift action would be taken.
The individual who sent the message has been interviewed by police and is now being dealt with by the criminal justice system.
Leyton Orient would like to thank the staff at Port Vale for their quick and efficient handling of the process.
Both clubs would like to reiterate our zero tolerance stance to abuse of any kind and thank fans who condemned the individual responsible for the messages and offered support to the player
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here