Lincoln City boss condemns misogynistic abuse towards female referee following defeat

Earlier this year, Welch became the first female referee of a men’s FA Cup third round tie. Credit: PA Images

The Chief Executive of Lincoln City Football Club says a full investigation will be launched after some fans posted misogynistic abuse online, aimed at a female referee following the men's fixture at the weekend.

In a statement on the club's website, Liam Scully condemned the comments, which he said "reflect poorly" on both the sport and the club.

The comments were made towards referee Rebecca Welch, after Lincoln City's 4-0 defeat away to Peterborough on Saturday 20 August.

He explained: "Any commentary regarding this weekend must also reflect on the misogynistic abuse from a small number of our ‘fans’ aimed towards official Rebecca Welch, which somehow gained traction on social media and incomprehensibly gained supportive comments from other football ‘fans’.

Welch was the referee for Lincoln City's game on Saturday Credit: PA Images

"Not only do these comments by so few reflect poorly on our sport as a whole, and specifically our football club, it is also upsetting to hear and read about the severe impact this had on many of our fans. We risk years and years of hard work which has been undertaken by so many being undone in less than a blink of an eye.

"With this, we will be launching a full investigation and, where evidence prevails, will not hesitate to take action against the perpetrators. Lincoln City is a club that prides itself on our inclusivity and our openness to welcome all."

Ex-footballer says painkiller addiction almost killed him
Sheffield United's Oli McBurnie denies play-off assault charge

It comes on a landmark weekend for the club as the women's team attracted a record number of fans during their game at the LNER stadium. A crowd of more than 1,000 people turned out to watch the team take on promotion rivals, Doncaster Rovers Belles on Sunday 21 August.

Mr Scully went on to apologise for the actions by the small minority of fans, and is encouraging anyone who may have information to help the investigation, to come forward.

"To those of you who were impacted at the weekend, I wish to offer our apologies and reiterate our commitment to finding those responsible and taking suitable action.

"If you can help us with our investigation please email us at feedback@theredimps.com with details of your experience."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To know...