Game is heading into Dier straits when fans turn - Sue Smith

Dier’s was the second of three troubling incidents this week where “fans” – and I use the word loosely – turned on their own players.

Jesse Lingard was confronted by someone in a Manchester United shirt as he boarded the coach home from his side’s FA Cup win at Derby County.

Dier waded into the crowd at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when he apparently saw his brother being abused.

Most shockingly of all, York City’s players were threatened with physical violence by their own supporters in the Bootham Crescent car park after Tuesday’s 4-1 defeat to Hereford United.

Sometimes when fans are dishing out abuse, they need to remember that however well paid they are, players are human beings.

Dier’s team had just gone out of the FA Cup – their last chance of silverware this season – after a penalty shoot-out, so he was bound to be frustrated.

It is only natural if you find yourself in the sort of situation Dier did that you will stick up for a family member or a team-mate, so while I cannot condone what he did, I do not think we can be too critical.

Some people will argue these players earn so much money they should be able to accept the abuse. Fans work hard all week to buy the tickets and the TV subscriptions which pay these players’ wages, and are entitled to be angry if they do not think they are trying hard enough, but there is a line, and it has been crossed this week.

I would like to think I would be the ultimate professional and ignore it but, actually, would I?

It is wrong that some fans feel they can just say what they want to players and expect no comeback.

If you want to boo and let your team know you are unhappy most players accept that, but when it gets personal, they should be able to react so long as they do not cross the line either.

I would just urge fans to think before they shout things from the stands or post on social media.

Surely when one of your own players is having a bad day you want to encourage them and make them better, not hurl abuse that is only going to be detrimental.

What happened to Dier and Lingard was bad enough, but it is a different level again if you fear for your safety. I could not believe the York incident.

You will see Sunday League matches where players threaten to sort out their differences in the car park but it rarely comes to anything. At Conference North level, you just do not expect that sort of thing.

I wonder if moments like this could put a player off joining a club.

There are lots of reasons why a player moves and the fans were part of why I wanted to play for Doncaster Rovers Belles and Leeds United. But if you have a pre-conceived idea that supporters will be on your back as soon as you make a mistake, that could put you off if there is not much to choose between clubs.

I just hope that when the FA decide Dier’s punishment, they show a bit of common sense.