FOOTBALL clubs across Crewe will be joining in a social media boycott this weekend in solidarity with other clubs across the country to call out online abuse.

The boycott was announced last week by many of football's governing bodies, both in men's and women's football, high-profile clubs and players, and will see them switch off their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.

As part of the action Crewe Alex will not be updating club social media accounts from 3pm tomorrow (Friday) until midnight on Monday (May 3).

The social media blackout will cover a full weekend of sporting fixtures and is intended to emphasise, again, to the social media giants that more needs to be done to stamp out online abuse and discrimination.

Cheshire League Crewe FC stated on their Twitter account: "We will be joining the @FA social media boycott from 3pm on Friday April 30 to 11.59pm on Monday May 3."

They are joined also by grassroots side Crewe Town FC and newly-formed Sunday League outfit Leighton FC.

English football bodies, including the FA, Premier League and the EFL, wrote to social media companies in February asking for filtering, blocking and swift takedowns of offensive posts, as well as improved procedures to verify accounts and prevent abusers re-registering.

The FA's Edleen John said: "It's simply unacceptable that people across English football and society more broadly continue to be subjected to discriminatory abuse online on a daily basis, with no real-world consequences for perpetrators.

"This needs to change quickly, and we continue to urge social media companies to act now to address this. Social media companies need to be held accountable if they continue to fall short of their moral and social responsibilities to address this endemic problem.

"We have recently seen how powerful it can be when everybody is united for the good of the English game. We are calling on organisations and individuals across the game to join us in a temporary boycott of these social media platforms, to show solidarity and unite in the message that English football will not tolerate discrimination in any form."