NUFC boss advices players to boycott social media following racist abuse received by Willock signing
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce says he will continue to advise all his players to boycott social media following the abuse received by new signing Joe Willock.
The 22-year-old midfielder revealed on Thursday that he considered quitting social media due to the racist abuse he receives on a daily basis.
Bruce said: "How many times have I said to the players they should be avoiding it and that's the sad part of the modern society we're in at the moment.
"How people feel they've got the right to abuse people. In my opinion it's a dark place is social media.
"People should be made accountable for what they're writing and my advice to them all is to stay off it.
"There are certain gains to it I suppose, but there's more of the other side, which I have certainly been witness to."
Bruce said Willock will be included in his squad for Saturday's Premier League game at Aston Villa despite a lack of football during pre-season.
The Magpies boss has not ruled out signing a new defender before the transfer window closes next week and said the absence of goalkeepers Karl Darlow and Martin Dubravka remained a concern.
Darlow spent time in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus.
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The Magpies manager said: "It's fair to say we've got a lot of players who have not had the jab and I've always said it's their prerogative.
"It's vital people are jabbed and there are statistics to go with that. A quarter of the people in hospital at the moment are under 30, simply because they're not having the jab.
"My advice is to get jabbed."
Bruce confirmed he will be without midfielder Jonjo Shelvey against Villa due to a fresh calf injury.