Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom has issued a powerful condemnation of online abuse, calling social media a "safe haven" where targeting footballers has become "the norm." His comments come after a disturbing incident involving one of his own players.

The club and Lancashire Police are investigating after defender Thierry Small was subjected to racist abuse on Instagram. The abuse followed an own goal he scored in Monday's 1-1 Championship draw with Queens Park Rangers, highlighting how on-field mistakes can trigger vile online attacks.

"Any sort of abuse is something I really don't like, but people are big and brave on social media," Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire. He revealed the suspect is known to police, lives abroad, and has a history of targeting players at multiple clubs. "It looks like he's a professional idiot rather than just a one-off idiot," the manager added.

Heckingbottom argued that the constant stream of toxic comments on platforms has desensitized users and emboldened abusers. "Social media plays a part in it because it becomes a norm... to cross that line to become racist, it's smaller because people are doing it all the time."

Contrasting it with abuse in a stadium, where offenders can be identified and dealt with, Heckingbottom pointed out the cowardice of online anonymity. "It's a safe haven and nothing happens, we'll never see this guy, he won't do it to our faces."

The manager's focus now is on supporting his player, emphasizing that the club and fans will rally behind Small. "We have to make sure Thierry knows we've got his back and the fans will show their love for him at the next game." As Preston prepares for their weekend fixture against Charlton Athletic, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenging environment modern athletes navigate, both on the pitch and off it.