"Positive action is being taken, including issuing stadium bans to individuals who engage in discriminatory behaviour, referring cases of online abuse to the relevant authorities, and supporting the rehabilitation of offenders so they can understand the real-life consequences of their actions," EFL chief executive Trevor Birch said. "This is a multi-faceted approach - and crucially, the work does not stop here."
Sunderland's promotion to the Premier League this summer was impressive on a number of levels. A head coach in Regis Le Bris, in his first season in English football, laying waste to the theory of needing significant time to adapt working within the cut and thrust of the Championship. A club who had only returned to the second tier in 2022, without parachute payments to boost spending on transfer fees and wages. But all underpinned by an incredibly youthful squad - their average starting age of 23 years and 316 days was the youngest in the division - with academy graduates forming a consistent core.
The League Two play-offs will start on May 11, 2025, featuring semi-finals on specified dates, leading to a final on May 26 hosted at Wembley.