By Graham Hill
DEAN Smith had given his support to Villa loan striker Tammy Abraham after the player suffered racist abuse on social media.
Abraham scored 26 goals last season to help Villa win promotion through the play-offs.
But he returned to parent club Chelsea for this season to try and force his way into new manager Frank Lampard’s plans.
Abraham found himself taking a key penalty in European Super Cup shoot-out against Liverpool – but he missed from the spot to hand the trophy to Jurgen Klopp’s side.
That resulted in racist remarks behind aimed his way on Twitter and other social platforms.
Other players were targeted after similar incidents and it is something Smith wants to see disappear.
The Villa boss said: “Tammy was one of those who came in for some abuse and he’s one of the nicest people you will ever meet and did fantastically here.
He’s a great guy with a really good family. He missed a penalty in a football game, that’s all he’s done. So he doesn’t deserve the reaction it got.
“If people are coming and saying things on social media, then the platforms have to do something about it.
“Either that or they get named and shamed by people who know what’s right and wrong.
“We all know what’s right and we all know what’s wrong. And I’m sure Paul Pogba’s the same. Nobody deserves, whether in football or society, to be abused on any platform. What we need to do is name and shame those people. Once it comes into the public domain who these people are, I’m sure they’ll stop.”
Villa Roar 