EFL cautions clubs over social media posts targeting rivals
The EFL has written to club chairs and executives warning against social media posts aimed at other teams over disciplinary matters, following exchanges involving Wrexham, Southampton and Birmingham City.
The English Football League has warned its member clubs about social media posts that could target other sides over disciplinary issues. The governing body sent guidance to club chairs and executives advising them to steer clear of content with a potential reputational impact.
The warning follows a series of exchanges between clubs this season. In September, Wrexham posted a video on its X account featuring owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney ahead of a Championship match against Southampton. The skit, nominally promoting shirt sponsor Firefox, played on the 'Spygate' theme, with Reynolds appearing from behind a tree. Wrexham went on to win the game 2-1 at the Racecourse Ground.
Southampton later responded on X after Wrexham was fined by the EFL for fielding two ineligible players. The south coast club commented under Wrexham's team news post for a subsequent game against Sheffield United, referencing the scrutiny. Birmingham City also took part in the theme, posting a graphic showing the two clubs' badges cut into grass hedges and viewed through binoculars before a September meeting with Wrexham.
The EFL's letter to club chairs and executives does not single out any club but sets out the risks of social media content that targets rivals. The guidance arrives after a run of posts that turned disciplinary matters between clubs into public exchanges on the platform.
The episode illustrates how club social accounts now mix marketing with banter between teams. The EFL's intervention signals concern that such posts can escalate and affect reputations beyond the clubs directly involved.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
