A seven-year-old girl has been called a 'pig and a lesbian' for loving football in a campaign of bullying, her mum says.
Freya Taylor has been targeted by online trolls since she started playing football in 2020, according to her mum Amy Greaves.
Amy, from Sheffield, told Yorkshire Live "random, grown men and women" have also made cutting remarks about her daughter's hobby while the pair are out in public.
Taking to Twitter to call out the "bullies", Amy said: "I HATE bullies. My 7 year old daughter, getting called a lesbian and even a pig, for playing football and supporting @SheffieldUnited.
"My heart breaks for her but these bullies will not win!! #football #twitterblades."
But the football community has rallied to support Freya.
Her mum's tweet has received scores of supportive messages, including one from the current manager of Sheffield United FC, Paul Heckingbottom.
He said: "Sorry to hear about your daughter, you can tell her from me how important it is that she carries on playing football like my own daughter does and a big thank you for supporting the blades."
Sheffield United Women also tweeted Amy, saying: "We're so sorry to hear this. We'd love to invite both you and your daughter to our game on Sunday against Blackburn Rovers and we will arrange to get her a shirt signed by the squad.
"Bullies won't win."
And Huddersfield Town Women reached out to the Sheffield mum. "We agree, bullies will never win," the club said.
"We would love to invite you and your daughter to our game against the Blades at the Stafflex Arena in Huddersfield on the 20th of this month!
"Together, we can show her football is for everyone."
Amy said the cruel messages had not put Freya off playing football for long. "It did knock her back but now she is saying she still wants to play," she said.
"It has spurred her on to carry on."
