A YOB who aimed vile online racist abuse at former Everton star Abdoulaye Doucoure has been banned from football grounds.
Declan Jones, 33, directed the foul abuse at the French-Mali midfielder on Instagram after .
Former Everton star Abdoulaye Doucoure was subject to vile racist abuse after the Merseyside Derby Credit: Getty
Doucoure was sent off for brawling with Curtis Jones after Everton’s late derby equaliser Credit: AFP
The clubs condemned the abuse in a joint statement and Jones has now been banned from all grounds for three years.
They said: “We must all, including the social media companies, take a zero-tolerance stance. Platforms need to take accountability and action to ban such abusers.
“Racism and hate has no place online, in our stadiums or in our communities.”
Doucoure, 33, who also played for Watford, scored 19 goals in 149 games for Everton before moving to Saudi Arabia at the start of this season.
The midfielder was targeted with the racist abuse in the aftermath of a fiery Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in February 2025 when the Toffees struck a last-gasp equaliser to draw 2-2.
Doucoure was involved in a post-match bust-up with Liverpool’s Curtis Jones after celebrating Everton’s dramatic 98th-minute equaliser in front of the travelling Reds fans.
The confrontation quickly escalated and sparked a mass brawl as players from both sides rushed into the fray.
Referee Michael Oliver responded by showing straight red cards to both Doucoure and Jones.
After the game Jones, of Stockton-on-Tees, Co Durham, posted the abuse and was later arrested by his local force, Cleveland Police.
Cleveland’s Head of Operations Martin Hopps said: “There is absolutely no place for racial abuse, either online or in person, and anyone who believes they can hide behind their keyboards should think again.”
Jones was banned from all UK football grounds for three years after being convicted of racially aggravated malicious communications by Teesside JPs.
The Premier League issued a statement in support of Doucoure at the time, saying it was “appalled” by the abuse he had received.
It said: “We join Everton and Liverpool in strongly condemning this abhorrent abuse and have offered our full support to Abdoulaye and the club.”
Doucoure and Jones were not the only figures sent off following the dramatic derby clash.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff were also given their marching orders by Oliver.
Slot approached the referee after the final whistle to speak with him and shake his hand.
But as the pair shook hands, Oliver swiftly reached into his pocket before producing a red card for the Dutchman.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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