Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson has called for the FA to take action against trolls, after being subjected to abuse on two particular occasions last season.
The 22-year-old, spending a second season on loan with Sheffield United, suffered abuse in matches against Leeds United at Elland Road and Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.
Now, speaking for the first time about the difficulties he faced dealing with the abuse, Henderson has called for football's governing bodies to take action against those responsible.
He stated that this would not have been the case if the abuse was racially motivated and identified how hurtful the incidents were.
“Certainly last year at Hillsborough and Elland Road, it wasn't a pleasant time for me or my family because a lot of the accusations were completely horrendous,” he said.
“If it was racism, people would be getting banned from stadiums. For me, coming from a good family, it's the worse thing you can ever be called.
“I'd go back to my apartment and think how has this happened to me? Only my girlfriend knew how much it really affected me.”
Henderson says he required support from his girlfriend and family, adding that it felt extra sweet to beat Leeds last season at Elland Road.
“We stuck with it, as a family. So to go there to Elland Road and beat them, after what they were saying about me, that meant the world to me.
“What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. For me, as a young lad, nobody speaks about having to take that negativity. For a lad of 22, people don't realise what I went through last season.”