Cleveland Police are investigating an incident at Hartlepool United during which players were supposedly racially abused.
The first half of ‘ 2-0 National League overcome by Dover at Victoria Park on Saturday was delayed by 11 minutes as a consequence of an exchange involving players – including the home team Gus Mafuta – and even – audiences after Inih Effiong had opened the scoring with a 37th-minute penalty.
A police spokesman said:”Cleveland Police is investigating these allegations.
“The drive works with soccer clubs around the country, as well as the broader community, to fortify that this sort of behaviour is completely unacceptable. If it does occur, we take robust action utilizing all available tools, including football banning orders”
Dover boss Andy Hessenthaler revealed after the game he was prepared to take his crew off the pitch and number Craig Hignett was agreement, even though both sets of players needed to continue.
Hignett afterwards told Pools TV:”That has got no place here, we certainly do not condone it.
“Racism not only has no part in football, but it doesn’t have any part in life, so if that is true, then those folks must be managed and taken care of severely because that is not us as a soccer club.
“We’re a really inclusive club, but when there are dumb people, then they’ll be taken care of in the strongest possible terms”
Hignett was sent into the stands during a game that also saw lose Nicky Featherstone and Ryan Donaldson to red cards , but chief executive Mark Maguire insisted frustration at events on the pitch was no explanation for the reaction off it.
Maguire, who revealed he had spoken to the victims of this abuse and assured them that the strongest possible actions could be taken against the perpetrators, stated:”I will honestly say I have never witnessed a game of soccer like that but it’s necessary that we divide our reaction to the match, along with the officers, into the events after Dover’s first aim.
“Regardless of the rights and wrongs of this decision or the wake to the penalty that was scored, Hartlepool United utterly prohibits racist behaviour of any description.
“We’re proudly inclusive as a club and we are aware that the huge majority of Pools fans will join us in standing up against actions and words which have no place in football or society.”

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