Sol Campbell, the Portsmouth and England defender, says verbal abuse towards footballers and managers has spiralled out of control and it is time for the authorities to start taking action.

Sol Campbell, the Portsmouth and England defender, says verbal abuse towards footballers and managers has spiralled out of control and it is time for the authorities to start taking action.

Campbell says he has come under fire himself while Alex Ferguson, Harry Redknapp and Avram Grant have all complained about crowd behaviour.

"It's out of hand now," Campbell told BBC Radio 4.

"We can all take the booing or light banter, but when it gets to the realms of verbal abuse it's a bridge too far."

Campbell felt so strongly about the situation that he rang the BBC to raise the issue himself.

"You get to the stage when people say you've got to be immune to this," he added.

"I may be immune to this but I'm playing football and should not be subjected to that type of abuse.

"I am an international player who has given his whole career to club and country. I think I deserve more than this.

"I know some people may be a little bit disgruntled at how I left. I totally understand that. But when you get to the level of personal abuse that I and other players are subjected to, it's got to stop now." - BBC