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A foundation dedicated to the first ever black professional footballer has been vandalised with racist graffiti.
The Arthur Wharton Foundation on Widdowfield Street, in Darlington, County Durham, was covered with anti-immigrant sentiment on Saturday.
Arthur Wharton became the first black professional footballer in the world when he played as a goalkeeper for Darlington Football Club in 1885. He was later selected to play with the more prestigious Newcastle and District team.
The vandalism comes after England players Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were bombarded by racist abuse on social media following the Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy.
A tribute to Marcus Rashford on the wall of the Coffee House Cafe in his home town of Withington, Manchester, was defaced in what is being investigated by police as a possible 'hate crime'.
The Arthur Wharton Foundation on Widdowfield Street, in Darlington, County Durham, was defaced with vile racism which has since been removed
One of the messages sprayed onto the wall read 'we do not stand with the 3 Black Lions'
Before: The mural is dedicated to Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka, who were bombarded by racist abuse on social media following the Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy
One of the messages sprayed onto the wall read 'we do not stand with the 3 Black Lions'.
Hundreds of people have taken to social media to condemn the graffiti. Darlington MP Peter Gibson said: 'The Arthur Wharton Foundation has done much to promote understanding of the contribution of black footballers throughout our history.
'I am appalled by the vandalism, and the racism of that has been daubed on the
