Support for Fired Coach Going Viral

North Andover High School Football Coach John Rafferty was told last week that he was being let go after 12 years with the Scarlet Knights. And his supporters are not sitting back quietly.

There is now a Support Coach Rafferty Facebook page. The page already has hundreds of "likes" and is assertively pushing for action on behalf of Rafferty. The page even lists the contact information for Athletics Director Jon Longley and Principal Carla Scuzzarella.

"What a bad example to set for the school, student and town," one of the page's status updates reads. "This is what's wrong with society...fire a coach who disciplines players who get in trouble."

School officials have not said why Rafferty was let go, but Rafferty has reportedly said it was because of two incidents in which he disciplined students this past fall.

On Monday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., there will also be a petition set up at Stachey's for people to sign and show their support for Rafferty.

Over Rafferty's 12 years with the team, the Scarlet Knights were 81-49. Rafferty is credited with turning the team around in 2001 after several bad seasons.