It went too far.
Realistically, any kind of abuse goes too far. But what Paul Smyth received in his inbox on New Year's Day? It was a vile, twisted sickness of a totally different level.
Most of it cannot be repeated here. But there were threats aimed at his family, his partner, his child. It was lengthy, graphic and a deeply disturbing read.
Smyth's crime in the eyes of his abuser? He supposedly missed a couple of one-on-ones for QPR in their game against Norwich.
"To target someone's family, my missus and my son, that got me more than them targeting just me," Smyth tells Your Site.
"I'm okay with abuse aimed at me. Footballers always get abuse. I'm not saying it's right, but we understand the frustration of fans and sometimes players get targeted.
"I know I’m going to get abused for performances, whether they’re good or bad. There’s always someone out there that likes to nitpick.
"When it came down to targeting my missus and my little man, that was way out of hand. That’s when I spoke to the club, and the club dealt with it really well, as well as the EFL."
It is usually the type of thing that Smyth has learned not to take home with him, but on this occasion it was simply too much to brush off.
"After seeing the message, my missus saw my face and asked what was wrong. I didn’t really want to tell her, but I showed her the message and she was shocked and afraid.
"The message might have been an empty threat but you can never take the risk. I was fearing going out with her, even going shopping with my little man, looking over your shoulder and not knowing if something might happen.
"You just never know. That’s why I spoke to the club, because I couldn’t take the risk. I didn’t want to chance going out and something happening without people knowing or without people being there to protect us.
"It’s one of those things in football that shouldn’t happen, especially the vulgar language that was used. Hopefully we catch them and, down the line, we can catch people who share that abuse and take it to the police."
Smyth, as mentioned, spoke to the club, who have received support from the EFL, the police and Meta - the company that own Instagram.
The account where the message came from was based overseas, which limited the power of prosecution. All the club could really announce was their support for Paul and his family, and the determination that the perpetrator would be banned from Loftus Road for life.
"The most frustrating thing is that people can hide behind fake accounts," Smyth says. "That’s the worst part. Why not show a bit of bottle and come to me and say something?
"I’ll have a discussion with you. If you want a conversation, that’s no problem. But hiding behind a Twitter or Instagram account without being caught is foolish. It does hit personally.
"Sometimes it affects how you feel, even in football when you’re trying to train. You’re thinking about why you were targeted for playing a game that should be enjoyed by fans and players.
"I understand how much it means to fans paying their hard-earned money and coming to watch. But it’s not like we don’t care.
"We don’t turn up on a Saturday and go home without caring. It matters to us just as much as it does to the fans. Hopefully we can catch people who hide behind accounts and get it sorted."
Despite the difficulties and the fears, Smyth will not give up on his online presence. He sees it as a huge part of who he is, and a vital way of connecting with the right kind of fans.
"It matters a lot to me," he says. "Being a football fan myself, I know what it’s like to support a club and how much it means to see a club doing well.
"I won't give up on social media. It's a big part of who I am. I like to share with the fans how I feel about the game and how much it means to me.
"In tough times, I know how hard it can be. You want to speak your mind, but sometimes you have to hold it back because the players are always trying.
"It’s not like they give up if they go 2-0 down. That never happens, especially at this club. You can see the fans are always behind you. The players give 100 per cent every time they step on the pitch.
"It’s sad because the fans who care, who are passionate, polite and supportive, get painted with the same brush as the ones sending abuse and negativity on social media.
"That’s sad because 99 per cent of QPR fans are unbelievable. There’s always a select few at every club who will say something negative.
"I think it’s jealousy and trying to put players down because they don’t want to see them doing well."
Smyth's commitment to staying online for the fans who deserve it is to admired.
He, his family, footballers, and everyone in the public eye need more safeguarding to prevent these types of incidents, which are now all too regular and should not become the new normal.
