Moyes to break habit of a lifetime

Throughout his time as Everton boss, two things have eluded David Moyes – silverware and an away victory against Liverpool. While they have a slight chance of making the Champions League places, he’ll want his side to do it, but poor form from some of his ‘star’ performers could see them consigned to Europa League football at best with a defeat.

Nikica Jelavic, for example, has been abysmal of late. He’s only scored once since the turn of the year, leaving team-mates Kevin Mirallas and Marouane Fellaini to pick up the pieces. On the other hand, Leighton Baines hasn’t been too bad and will want to impress before he inevitably joins a bigger, more ambitious club.

Luis who?

The suspension of Luis Suarez after yet another controversial incident was expected to see the offensive firepower of Liverpool seriously weakened. Fortunately, as the 6-0 thrashing of Newcastle United showed, they have others they can rely on including the improving Daniel Sturridge. He’s up against a better team this weekend, but he should have a few chances to get on the scoresheet.

Overall, the team without Suarez seems more cohesive and fluid, which is exactly what they could have done with earlier in the season. The likes of Jordan Henderson and Phillippe Coutinho have managed to impress in the past few months, and look like being key players in a couple of days’ time, not to mention for next season.

History in our favour

In the earlier fixture, a 2-2 draw was played out, although the Toffees have only won two of the last 10 meetings in all competitions. For the record, Liverpool have won five. The last time Everton won in the league was in the 1999/00 season, where they won 1-0. This was before Moyes arrived at Goodison Park and turned them into a borderline European-class side on a shoestring.

Liverpool are betting favourites to win the match at 20/21 with Ladbrokes. Home advantage will count for a lot, as will the form of Sturridge and Coutinho. However, we have a little less to play for than Everton, and they seem to have got over a recent bad patch, losing just one of their last eight games, although the Reds have lost just once in nine league outings.

Whatever the result may be, there could be a chance of a red card being shown at some point. The Merseyside derby has seen an astonishing 20 sending-offs since the formation of the Premier League in 1992. That’s more red cards than any other fixture in Premier League history, amounting to nearly one in every two matches!

The 24th of April 2013, the day the Football Association showed the world undoubtedly that they are out of touch and unfit for purpose.

The 10 match ban handed out to Liverpool’s sensational but problematic Uruguayan striker was nothing more than a PR exercise with a malicious intent. The FA failed not only to pass a fair but deserved punishment to the Reds striker, but missed an opportunity to create standardisation for this and other such offences.

Luis Suarez accepted the charge against him without argument, offering his own personal apology. The club had internally imposed a fine and now awaited a decision by the FA. But what Suarez and LFC didn’t anticipate was the level of punishment the FA would deliver on the back of interference from some media sensationalism and, astonishingly, from the British Prime Minister David Cameron, who one would think had more than football to concentrate on at a time when his nation can scarcely eat and its people are losing their jobs and homes by the thousands.

One fundamental opportunity that passed the Jurassic, out of touch and meaningless talking shop officials at Wembley, was the need to address or even try to evaluate the individual’s mental state as well as the actions of the individual. In no way am I suggesting that Luis Suarez is a raving lunatic but it’s clear to a blind man that Suarez has some form of anger or personal restraint issues.

In the real world when people develop depression, substance abuse problems, mental issues, stress and many other problems we have an infrastructure that is put into action to try and help them cope and recover, and, above all else, help them to become better long term. But in the deluded and blinded world of football, it still seems impermissible for the FA and others in the game to even acknowledge or accept that players can become ill or are in need of professional help.

A deplorable element of this unfortunate situation is the hypocrisy from former players, such as Robbie Savage and Mark Lawrenson, to condemn Suárez. Savage, for me, was one of the most unpopular and talentless players ever to play in the Premiership, whose most memorable ability in my eyes was to assault other players but to then cry like a new born baby when he had the compliment returned. Lawrenson, a former Red, called Suarez a “world class idiot.” Really Mark! This from a player who rode on the back of Alan Hansen to cover his lack of awareness inside the box for years. Both players are ignorant to the fact that some players may need help, not attention seeking articles in the national papers or when covering for real experts on Match of the Day.

The actual act was deliberate so there was no other alternative but for the FA to charge Suarez with violent conduct, but it’s the way the FA have allowed themselves to cave in from political and media interference which makes their decision look simply non-independent and farcical. What makes the FA look even more ridiculous and no longer fit for purpose is its almost deliberate inconsistent punishments.

One punishment should be set for every type of offence, violent conduct for example bears a mandatory three match ban, but the FA seem to be able to impose whatever punishment they deem fit, the inconsistency becomes apparent when two incidents of the exact same offence are given two different combinations of fines and match bans. It simply has to change, the whole disciplinary procedure must be overhauled and set terms cast regardless of what club or league the player is part of.

The FA want people to believe that they want fairness, equality and faith in football, well I’m sorry, I’m certainly not buying that at all. The FA know sweet FA about our game or how to manage the regulation of it, the association is run by yes men in grey suits who have no idea what the fans want from their footballing experience or what support the clubs need to deal with players who may be developing issues regarding their behaviour or mental state.

While Suarez was banned for 8 matches for the racial abuse of Evra, England’s former captain and FA blue eyed boy John Terry only received a 4 match ban, despite the moral pathfinders at Wembley claiming that Suarez was made an example of and used as a deterrent to other players. Well that clearly does not count if you’re an England player or personal favourite of the men in grey.

Do I believe Suarez has been victimised? Yes. Do I believe Suarez was given such an unfair ban because it’s Luis Suarez? Yes. Do I believe the FA are cowards and corrupt? Yes. And do I believe that if it was another player the same ban and fine would apply? No.

There are some who say, ‘well Suarez has done this before and clearly hasn’t learnt his lesson and the 10 match ban is appropriate.’ There are credible arguments to support that view, but this is why it’s so important to acknowledge that maybe a player is going through difficult times or stress, and to seek advice and help from health care professionals, if only as a precautionary measure.

The fact is Luis Suarez is an easy target simply because of a combination of self-inflicted trouble and negative media perception, the game needs players like Suarez just as it did with the likes of Paul Ince, Roy Keane, Eric Cantona, Chopper Harris, Norman Hunter, George Best, Tommy Smith and Paolo Di Canio, all great players, all with an element of spark and fire inside them, but that is what made them so entertaining and great to watch.

Our game has changed and so must the FA if it’s to be seen as a creditable association; it also needs a working infrastructure in place to help clubs and players become better individuals both on and off the pitch. If not then the FA should just stay inside their underground bunker and read each other bedtime stories while drinking hot chocolate and eating custard creams. Players are people too, anyone can become ill or have problems, but it’s what help the individual gets and how they are dealt with that is the most important aspect.

Brian is a footballing author, a lifelong LFC fan and a FWA member. Follow him on Twitter: @oldfattoad.

FINANCIAL Fair Play, and Liverpool’s intention to try and stick to it, means the Reds are going to rely increasingly on the products of the Academy at Kirkby. It’s not just about players making it into the first team; money raised from the sale players who don’t quite make Liverpool’s grade can be reinvested.

Reaching the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup is a sign that Liverpool are producing good young players. The key for Liverpool at this level isn’t winning trophies – as nice as that might be – but producing those players. Last night’s first-leg result was disappointing and makes winning that trophy much harder but until Chelsea’s opener there were plenty of signs that Liverpool are producing good young players.

Chelsea are already ahead of Liverpool at this level, their squad filled with players just that bit bigger and stronger than Liverpool’s – and at least one of their number, 17-year-old Ruben Loftus-Cheek, is reportedly on a contract that will see him made a millionaire whilst still a teenager. But Liverpool performed so well that they’ll be bitterly disappointed at conceding the 86^th minute opener, let alone the second in injury time.

On last night’s showing there is a great deal of potential in this young Liverpool side

It was Chelsea who had the first chances at goal, Islam Feruz getting a shot in that was blocked by Liverpool’s defence and then getting a free kick after a foul by Lloyd Jones. Chelsea skipper Lewis Baker took the free kick, from midway inside the Reds half, but it went well wide.

As the game went on Liverpool started to take control and on this winger Kristoffer Peterson stood out particularly, looking a good fit for that famous number 7 shirt for the Reds on the night.  

The 18-year-old Swede almost put Jordan Ibe in on 19 minutes but his cross at the end of one of his many runs that worried the Chelsea defence was intercepted by the keeper. Ibe did have a chance just a couple of minutes before, coming close to scoring but his shot was deflected for a corner.

More good work from Liverpool saw Ibe put in a shooting position again after 25 minutes, Beeney only able to parry the shot but Chelsea getting away with it. A minute later Peterson had what looked like a cross-shot and again the Chelsea keeper parried it but escaped without conceding.

After a sustained period of control for Liverpool Chelsea had a chance when captain Baker put Feruz through but he dragged his shot wide.

The atmosphere from the Kop was starting to build after the half-hour mark as another Liverpool chance came up, Beeney saving and this time holding Peterson’s shot. Peterson had shown some trickery to beat one defender before shooting through another’s legs, but in the end it was straight at the keeper.

Determination from Jack Dunn saw Liverpool get a corner on 35 when most players might have given it up. The corner came to nothing for Liverpool but turned into a break for Chelsea that would have almost certainly given the visitors the opener had it not been for Reds captain Jordan Lussey. The midfielder showed his maturity by chasing back and winning the ball with a perfect tackle leaving Chelsea with a throw-in instead of a goal.

Chelsea did get a chance a few minutes later but Feruz’s shot was cleared. It fell to Charlie Colkett who had more time than perhaps he realised; his first time shot looping well over the bar and into a laughing Kop.

As the half came to an end Lussey wasn’t quite as precise in the tackle as he’d been earlier in the game and he picked up a booking. The resulting free-kick led to a Chelsea corner and although that corner found the head of a visiting defender he blasted it wide.

The first chances of the second half fell to Chelsea, a speculative shot that just cleared the bar a minute in followed a couple of minutes later by a free kick that Fulton punched clear. He had another shot to save shortly after and with Chelsea seemingly creating more clear-cut chances he was the busier of the two keepers on the night and up until those disappointing final minutes was easily a match for Chelsea’s forwards.

Loftus-Cheek was lucky to escape without a booking just before the hour mark with a foul that, in a relatively quiet Anfield, sounded as bad as it looked on Liverpool’s skipper Lussey. The referee gave a free kick but kept his cards in his pocket. Lussey needed fairly lengthy treatment and although he did come back on for a few minutes he soon had to retire from the match. Dan Smith came on in his place, Jack Dunn took over the armband.

Liverpool were still settling into this change and the loss of their skipper when Chelsea came close to scoring. Feruz hit the post and the rebound fell to Alex Kiwomya whose shot was saved by the impressive Fulton.

Fulton was called into action a minute later after Kiwomya – cousin of Chris – waltzed through the Reds defence.

In what was a spell of end-to-end action it was then Liverpool’s turn to hit the post, Peterson desperately unlucky for the Reds. Chelsea managed to scramble the ball behind for a corner which Lloyd Jones met with his head but was clearly disappointed to see go over the bar.

As the game moved into the last ten minutes a break from Peterson saw him clipped as he was heading at pace towards the Chelsea box. Dan Smith touched the ball to Dunn but his shot was charged down.

Jordan Ibe impressed throughout the night showing why he was recently called into the first team squad as an unused sub against Southampton, but with five minutes left he made way for a player who has already tasted first-team action for the Reds. Jerome Sinclair became the youngest ever player to feature in a Liverpool first team earlier this season. Injury has kept him out of the youth sides in recent weeks and was perhaps part of the reason he was kept back until five minutes from the end. Liverpool will no doubt be hoping to get full use of him for the second leg.

Chelsea’s Jerome Boga, one of the many coveted names in the visitors’ side, had largely been kept quiet by Liverpool and, perhaps out of frustration as much as hope, hit a wayward shot over the bar as the clock ticked down.

The game was getting to the stage where players might be starting to think about getting in the shower, about debating what went right and wrong, about anything but the game currently being played. Liverpool perhaps started to relax for the first time in the game and with minutes to go Chelsea captain Lewis Baker got forward and found Kiwomya who turned and shot into the ground but past the so-far unbeatable Fulton.

Liverpool at that point might have been better served in remembering this was half-time in a two-legged game but in the urgency to try and pull one back found themselves exposed again. The game had already gone into the four minutes of injury time – a call that got the Kop urging the home side on – when some great work from Boga on the counter attack allowed him to set up Kiwomya for his and Chelsea’s second.

The Reds did get a free kick as injury time ticked down and there was some delay before the kick was taken as things got heated in the box between the two sides as players jostled for position. As it was Jack Dunn had a crack at goal, his shot going over in what was the last act of the match.

The result might not have been the best but on this showing the future is very bright for Liverpool.

Liverpool: Fulton, McLaughlin, Maguire, Jones, Cleary, Lussey © (Smith), Peterson, Rossiter, Dunn, Brannagan, Ibe (Sinclair)
Unused subs: Crump, Baio, O’Hanlon

Chelsea: Beeney, Aina (Dabo), Davey, Christensen (Conroy), Wright, Baker ©,Kiwomya, Loftus-Cheek, Feruz, Colkett (Swift), Boga
Unused subs: Killip, Hunte

The venue for this year’s tournament is PlayFootball on Drummond Road, Crosby (L23 9YP). Registration is at 12 noon with kick-off at 1pm.

If you want to enter a team you’ll need a squad no bigger than 8, to include rolling subs, and the entry fee for each squad is £100. Team captains must collect the entry money and register their teams.

Once again the format sees there being two knockout tournaments meaning there will be plenty of football being played – and a specially commissioned HJC Cup will be presented to the winners of the main tournament, with medals for the winners of the 2nd tournament.

The HJC Cup presentation will be made immediately after the final has been played and the sports facility have also given the organisers the function room until 6pm this year meaning friends, family and players can relax and watch the games from the balcony whilst seeing the results and draws of how their teams are doing. Please feel free to go along and support your team.

Payments for entry can be made in cash on the day at the registration desk before 12pm.

Format:
Group Stages then split into 2 knockout rounds
Quarter-Finals (or knockout round depending on number of teams)
Semi Finals
3rd/4th place play off
Final

(Format will be confirmed closer to the date once numbers have been confirmed).

Teams should try to co-ordinate their kits. Bibs will be provided.

Henderson with the shirt signifying his 369 passes (Pic: Paul Currie / Western Union)

Jordan Henderson says Liverpool can continue to progress in the tournament if they play to their full capabilities: “The Europa Cup is a massive trophy,” said Henderson, “so for us to be in the next round is very important and we’ve got some good results at home and away in the tournament.

“We’ve got Zenit in the next round and I think they’re a very good team, they’ve got some brilliant players, but we’ve got to go into the game positive and I think if we play the way we can we’ll definitely do well.”

Steven Gerrard has been rested for many of Liverpool’s European games this season and might well be rested for this one but Henderson explained the captain’s importance to the club: “It’s a great feeling when Steven Gerrard’s saying good things about you but he’s been brilliant since I came to the club really, he’s a leader and he’s a good role model to the younger players.”

Monday’s defeat came despite Liverpool dominating possession and as Henderson pointed out, keeping the ball isn’t the be-all and end-all of what Rodgers wants his side to do: “As a team we do focus on keeping possession of the ball but also going forward with it. We don’t want to keep it just for the sake of it, we want to keep it with the purpose to go forward and create good opportunities.”

Although Henderson has become a regular starter in the league in recent games his appearances earlier on the season were more restricted and the Europa League was one competition where the manager was making more use of him. As a result Henderson is now LFC’s top passer in the tournament with 369 passes. Liverpool are third in the Europa League passing table, a table that is important in terms of providing education opportunities around the world thanks to Western Union’s PASS initiative.

Visit wu-pass.org for more on Western Union’s pass initiative – you can also follow them on Twitter at @wu_PASS.

Henderson’s shirt signifying his 369 passes (Pic: Western Union / Paul Currie)

For the rest of the interview check out The Anfield Wrap: http://www.theanfieldwrap.com/2012/12/interview-brendan-rodgers/

West Ham United: 22 Jaaskelainen, 2 Reid, 17 O’Brien, 19 Collins, 20 Demel, 4 Nolan, 7 Jarvis, 14 Taylor, 16 Noble, 21 Diame, 9 Cole.
Subs: 30 Spiegel, 3 McCartney, 5 Tomkins, 27 Spence, 32 O’Neil, 42 Moncur, 11 Maiga.

Liverpool: 25 Reina, 2 Johnson, 37 Skrtel, 5 Agger, 3 Enrique, 21 Lucas, 24 Allen, 8 Gerrard, 31 Sterling, 19 Downing, 33 Shelvey.
Subs: 1 Jones, 16 Coates, 23 Carragher, 10 Cole, 14 Henderson, 30 Suso, 50 Morgan.

Referee: Lee Probert

Kick-off 4pm

The Brazilian midfielder, who was also sent out to do some scouting for Rodgers as he recovered from the setback, has used the time to help out with the club’s official charity, the Liverpool FC Foundation, and launched a second programme to provide sporting opportunities for children with severe disabilities in the Wirral.

The programme, ‘Football 4 All’, was launched as a follow-up to the successful first programme, launched in Aigburth, which offers free coaching to over 70 children every week. The new programme also provides free coaching for children with complex needs who previously wouldn’t have engaged in sport.

Speaking after the launch, Lucas said: “Today has been great. Seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces has been fantastic and it’s been a real opportunity to highlight the great work being done by the Liverpool FC Foundation. It’s very important for players to come and give something back to the community.”

The new programme is based at Woodchurch High School and provides sporting opportunities for 35 children aged between eight and 16 years old. The funding comes from the Premier League Community Fund, the People’s Postcode Trust (LFC’s extra shirt sponsor for Europa League games) and Field of Dreams.

Gary Adlen, Liverpool FC Foundation Director, said: “Our Foundation improves people’s lives by providing a range of football related programmes and initiatives that will inspire positive change, both locally and internationally. We’re extremely delighted to launch our second football disability initiative as part of the Football 4 All programme in the Wirral.

“With these programmes, the majority of participants have never been involved in any sport before.  The sessions are about giving young people a chance to get involved, socialise and enjoy their sport. Giving children this opportunity is something that we are extremely proud of.”

Lucas has missed most of the season due to a thigh injury, an injury that was a huge setback having missed the second half of last season as a result of a knee injury. The midfielder acknowledged the part the club’s supporters have played in his recovery: “Ever since my first injury, the fans have been very important to me. When you don’t play, you think that people might forget about you but I think it has been completely the opposite.

“People send me nice messages and they say that they really miss me, so this has given me the confidence to come back.”

His team mates have also played a part: “The players, on a daily basis, have really supported me. I remember when Luis scored and he had a message for me on his shirt. These are the small things that really mean a lot and they keep you going. Now it’s the time for me to repay that and help them.”

The manager also got a mention from Lucas: “Brendan Rodgers has been very good to me since my first day. When he arrived I was just recovering from the knee injury, so he gave me a lot of confidence and was always very clear about his plans for me. He has tried to keep me very calm and not tried to rush me, in terms of my rehabilitation.”

Whether Lucas makes the starting line-up against tomorrow’s visitors Southampton or not, the fact he’s back in the squad and close to his full comeback will come as a huge lift to those Liverpool supporters, the player’s team mates and his manager.  The Reds’ defeat on Wednesday saw their unbeaten run come to an end but the return of the Brazilian will hopefully see Joe Allen played in a role that he is more suited to, the role he was signed for, and in turn should see other midfielders playing roles they too are more suited to.

The danger of course is to expect Lucas to be the answer to all of Liverpool’s problems and questions still need to be answered about just how much funding Rodgers will be given to strengthen what is a very thin squad in terms of numbers. Those questions will be answered in January, but it’ll be the end of January before fans know if the answers are the ones they want to hear.

It’s not all about funding when it comes to finding players and the new scouting appointments are now in a position to act and to find players that suit Rodgers’s style and fit his plans as well as possible based on whatever kind of cash going to be released from the numerous recent lucrative sponsorship and partnership deals signed by the club.

If the players to be signed are going to take time to not only settle but to be accepted then it’s important that the club make it clear that the short term plan isn’t necessarily about getting back into Champions League places. And if the plan is to get back into that top four then the transfer policy needs to be one that finds players for Rodgers to use right away.

In the meantime Lucas is back in the squad and that’s something that fans can only be happy about.

Pics courtesy of Liverpool Football Club.

Today we take the unprecedented step of sending out a mass email asking for your help. We do this out of a sense of urgency because Anne Williams is in a Southport Hospice and dying. That is the stark, hard-hitting reality.

This woman, who has endured incredible loss, despair and injustice for 23 years and fought all the way, may die before she sees the inquest for her son that she has fought for. The European Court of Human Rights dealt a slap in the face, around the time of the 20th anniversary, with the now-hauntingly apt phrase “out of time”.

Help us do our damnedest to ensure that, when it comes to at the very least ensuring Kevin’s inquest takes place, Anne does not once again find herself “out of time.”

How can you help?

- Sign the petition: We are a third of the way there in a short space of time, but read the intro to this email again. Take it in again. Anne is dying. We need to reach 100,000 signatures as a matter of absolute urgency. This will maximise publicity through the medium of Parliament. Don’t underestimate the significance of that! - https://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/40925

- Encourage people you know to sign the petition: Has your family all signed? Have your friends? Have you asked around the workplace for signatures? UK citizens can sign – even ex-pats. Get on it.

- Encourage people you don’t know to sign the petition: There are a number of ways to do this, such as tweeting celebrities the petition link and asking them to retweet it, posting on different forums with a message about the petition and a link, emailing websites and seeing if they’ll put the story on their front page and writing to journalists in newspapers (with the obvious exceptions) to see if they will publicise the story and the petition.

Will it help? This is what Anne had to say on the matter:

Anne Williams ?@annewilliams96
“Your support is keeping me going Thank You, I never failed Our Kevin the corrupt British legal system did, 3 Attorney Generals in the past.
Keep the petition going it will have to be debated if it reaches 100,000 thank you everyone for supporting me, JUSTICE FOR ALL.”

- Email your MP: There is some positive political will behind Hillsborough related causes at the moment, so let’s take advantage of that. Visit www.writetothem.com to find out who your MP is.

New email templates are in production for those who struggle to put their feelings into words and will have been added to the main post here: http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=299593.0 by the time this email goes out.

- Email those involved in the inquest process: As above, there will be email templates and email addresses for those we need to contact.

It is worth noting that while not all of these actions can be taken by those who live outside the UK, some of them can. There is no excuse not to be part of this action. You could do everything on this list in less than an hour. We would like to leave you with a thought.

Fast-forward a short period of time and imagine opening the Liverpool FC Forum to the following thread:

“RIP Anne Williams”

Distressingly this is something that is likely to happen sooner rather than later, and unfortunately it is an inevitability, not a possibility.

What we can do though, when the time comes, is change the tone of what is written inside that thread and how we feel about the situation; a change from wishing we had done more and lamenting that Anne really was “out of time” to thinking that at least she saw Kevin’s inquest before she passed away.

Act Now!

YNWA – it’s more than a song.

If you’ve already signed, ask your family if they’ll sign too. Help them to sign it – if they’re not sure how to do it talk them through it or maybe offer to sign it on their behalf. You need a valid email address for everyone who signs but you can always set up a free email address for them for this purpose. Make sure that the link you get in the email sent after signing is clicked – otherwise the epetition system will ignore that signature.

The song chosen for the tribute is the The Hollies classic ’He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’ and will be released on December 17th with the aim of it making it to the Christmas No 1 spot. In recent years that spot has almost always been taken by the winner of ITV’s X Factor but the organisers of this effort are hoping to make a change.

Names already confirmed include, in no particular order (as they say on X Factor), Robbie Williams, Mick Jones (The Clash), Peter Hooton (The Farm), Pete Wylie, (The Justice Tonight band), Richard Hawley, Chris Sharrock (Oasis), Ren Harvieu, Dave McCabe (The Zutons), Paul Heaton (Beautiful South), Hollie Cook, Jon McClure (Reverend & The Makers), John Power (Cast), Shane McGowan (The Pogues), Beverley Knight and Gerry Marsden (Gerry and the Pacemakers).

The producer will be the world renowned Guy Chambers, who said: “I am deeply honoured to be asked to produce this record for the 96.  If we can help to raise money to support the families’ legal battle so that they finally get their time in court then our job will be done.  I spent my teenage years in Liverpool and feel a deep affection for both its musical heritage and the unique solidarity of its people.”

Steve Rotheram MP said: “Today, I am proud to announce that a group of some of the biggest UK recording artists are coming together to record ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’ to support the Hillsborough Families fight for justice and to raise funds for any future legal costs. Whilst we are confident that the campaign for truth and justice is nearing a conclusion, for 23 years the bereaved Hillsborough families have carried the eternal flame of hope that we would one day see those responsible brought to justice. All profits from this CD will go towards assisting with any legal costs incurred in that fight.  The families have suffered enough.”

Recording begins at the end of the month at Triple Ivor Novello winning songwriter Guy Chambers’ North London Studio, with further sessions taking place at London’s Metropolis Studios.

Pledge Music will also be offering a host of exclusive items via their website (www.pledgemusic.com) to aid the campaign.

]]> http://www.anfieldroad.com/news/lfc/2012-10-25/6019/robbie-williams-the-farm-cast-and-more-record-hillsborough-tribute-single.html/feed/ 0 http://www.anfieldroad.com/news/lfc/2012-09-23/6016/tributes-then-football.html/ http://www.anfieldroad.com/news/lfc/2012-09-23/6016/tributes-then-football.html/#comments Sun, 23 Sep 2012 08:36:17 +0000 Jim Boardman http://www.anfieldroad.com/?p=6016 Continue reading →]]> The first game at Anfield since the revelations of the Hillsborough Independent Panel report sees Liverpool play host to Manchester United in a game that will be preceded by tributes to the 96 victims of the disaster.

Had it been Liverpool against many other teams the reports going into the game would have been about the mosaic that will be held up across three sides of the ground and the presence of guests related to the 23 year campaign for justice, including members of the bereaved families. There’d have been talk about the 96 balloons the two captains will release and then the reports would have discussed the game itself.

The reports after the game would have been much the same. The tributes, the guests, the game.

And that’s pretty much how most of us, from both sets of supporters, would like today discussed – but certain elements of the media have their teeth into a couple of side stories.

It doesn’t help that the press are obsessed, and I mean obsessed, with pre-match handshakes. The handshakes aren’t actually easy for anyone actually at a game to see anyway – the players face the director’s box and have their backs to the vast majority of the crowd for that bit of football pantomime. That’s hardly showing respect to the supporters – and are those handshakes really heartfelt gestures of respect for the other side?

However trivial that little fake ceremony is in a normal game it’s not even worthy of a mention today – regardless of who’s involved in it. In fact maybe the cameras shouldn’t be following the players as this goes on, maybe this is a time to cut to a shot of the memorial to the 96 outside the ground.

The second side story is the possible singing of offensive chants or making of offensive gestures.

In recent weeks there were some defences put out of some chants that they weren’t about Hillsborough. One of them was a chant that started to be sung, they said, after last season’s Suarez-Evra controversy with the implication being that it’s a song about Suarez. Yet that phrase was being used by some fans of Manchester United (and some fans of other clubs) when having a go at Liverpool long before Suarez was even signed by the club. They just added a tune to it last season. And anyone who didn’t realise that it would – or could – be offensive to people who suffered as a result of a disaster surely realises now.

Anyone who engages in such chanting today – and in future – about any of the tragedies (not just football) relating to the two clubs knows that to do so is deeply offensive. It’s wrong to tar them with the brush of being supporters of either club, they’re not. They’re enemies of their own clubs and enemies of the majority of people who go to watch football. They’re the type of supporter that gets the attention of the media which in turn gives people who don’t care about the game the impression that all supporters are just like that.

Regardless of who they support there is no defence for them, they need to be condemned for it.

But they also need attention – that’s why they do it. So the less attention they get the more they’ll be ‘punished’ for what they’ve done. Internet trolls hiding behind anonymous identities or at their bravest using just their first names thrive on the reaction and those who sing such songs at the games can’t wait to see what reaction their actions get. If there’s no reaction they’ll be gutted.

Reports of today shouldn’t even mention handshakes and chanting – whether they happen or not.

Tributes, then football.

This is the statement in full.

Today the Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Reverend James Jones, is publishing the report of the Hillsborough Independent Panel.

The disaster at the Hillsborough football stadium on 15th April 1989 was one of the greatest peacetime tragedies of the last century.

Ninety-six people died as a result of a crush in the Leppings Lane Terrace at the FA Cup Semi-Final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

There was a public Inquiry at the time by Lord Justice Taylor which found – and I quote – that the main cause of the disaster was “a failure of police control.”

But the Inquiry didn’t have access to all the documents that have since become available it didn’t properly examine the response of the emergency services it was followed by a deeply controversial inquest and by a media version of events that sought to blame the fans.

As a result, the families have not heard the truth and have not found justice.

That is why the previous government – and in particular – the Rt Hon Member for Leigh was right to set up this Panel.

And it is why this government insisted that no stone should be left unturned and that all papers should be made available to the Bishop of Liverpool and his team.

Mr Speaker, in total over 450,000 pages of evidence have been reviewed.

It was right that the families should see the report first. As a result the government has only had a very limited amount of time to study the evidence so far.

But it is already very clear that many of the report’s findings are deeply distressing.

There are three areas in particular. The failure of the authorities to help protect people. The attempt to blame the fans. And the doubt cast on the original Coroner’s Inquest.

Let me take each in turn.

Findings: failures of the authorities

First, there is new evidence about how the authorities failed.

There is a trail of new documents which show the extent to which the safety of the crowd at Hillsborough was “compromised at every level”.

The ground failed to meet minimum standards and the “deficiencies were well known”.

The turnstiles were inadequate. The ground capacity had been significantly over-calculated. The crush barriers failed to meet safety standards. There had been a crush at exactly the same match the year before.

And today’s report shows clearly that lessons had not been learnt.

The report backs up again the key finding of the Taylor Report on police failure. But it goes further by revealing for the first time the shortcomings of the ambulance and emergency services response.

The major incident plan was not fully implemented. Rescue attempts were held back by failures of leadership and co-ordination. And, significantly, new documents today show there was a delay from the emergency services when people were being crushed and killed.

Findings: attempt to blame the fans

Second, the families have long believed that some of the authorities attempted to create a completely unjust account of events that sought to blame the fans for what happened.

Mr Speaker, the families were right. The evidence in today’s report includes briefings to the media and attempts by the Police to change the record of events.

On the media. Several newspapers reported false allegations that fans were drunk and violent and stole from the dead.

The Sun’s report sensationalised these allegations under a banner headline “The Truth.”

This was clearly wrong and caused huge offence, distress and hurt.

News International has co-operated with the Panel and, for the first time, today’s report reveals that the source for these despicable untruths was a Sheffield news agency reporting conversations with South Yorkshire Police and Irvine Patnick, the then MP for Sheffield Hallam.

The report finds that this was part of police efforts – and I quote – “to develop and publicise a version of events that focused on…allegations of drunkenness, ticketlessness and violence.”

In terms of changing the record of events, we already know that police reports were significantly altered but the full extent was not drawn to Lord Justice Taylor’s attention.

Today’s report finds that 164 statements were significantly amended – and 116 explicitly removed negative comments about the policing operation – including its lack of leadership.

The report also makes important findings about particular actions taken by the police and coroner while investigating the deaths. There is new evidence which shows that police officers carried out police national computer checks on those who had died in an attempt – and I quote from the report – “to impugn the reputations of the deceased.”

The Coroner took blood alcohol levels from all of the deceased including children.

The Panel finds no rationale whatsoever for what it regards as an “exceptional” decision.

The report states clearly that the attempt of the inquest to draw a link between blood alcohol and late arrival was “fundamentally flawed”.

And that alcohol consumption was “unremarkable and not exceptional for a social or leisure occasion”.

Mr Speaker, over all these years questions have been raised about the role of the government – including whether it did enough to uncover the truth.

It is certainly true that some of the language in the government papers published today was insensitive.

But having been through every document – and every government document including Cabinet Minutes will be published – the Panel found no evidence of any government trying to conceal the truth.

At the time of the Taylor Report the then Prime Minister was briefed by her private secretary that the defensive and – I quote – “close to deceitful” behaviour of senior South Yorkshire officers was “depressingly familiar.”

And it is clear that the then government thought it right that the Chief Constable of South Yorkshire should resign.

But as the Rt Hon Member for Leigh has rightly highlighted, governments then and since have simply not done enough to challenge publicly the unjust and untrue narrative that sought to blame the fans.

Findings: original coroner’s inquest

Third, and perhaps most significantly of all, the Bishop of Liverpool’s report presents new evidence which casts significant doubt over the adequacy of the original inquest.

The Coroner – on the advice of pathologists – believed that victims suffered traumatic asphyxia leading to unconsciousness within seconds and death within a few minutes.

As a result he asserted that beyond 3.15pm there were no actions that could have changed the fate of the victims and he limited the scope of the Inquest accordingly.

But by analysing post mortem reports the panel have found that 28 did not have obstruction of blood circulation and 31 had evidence of heart and lungs continuing to function after the crush.

This means that individuals in those groups could have had potentially reversible asphyxia beyond 3.15pm in contrast to the findings of the coroner and a subsequent judicial review.

And the panel states clearly that “it is highly likely that what happened to those individuals after 3.15pm was significant” in determining whether they died.

Response

Mr Speaker, the conclusions of this report will be harrowing for many of the families affected.

Anyone who has lost a child knows the pain never leaves you.

But to read a report years afterwards that says – and I quote: “a swifter, more appropriate, better focused and properly equipped response had the potential to save more lives” can only add to the pain.

It is for the Attorney General to decide whether to apply to the High Court to quash the original inquest and seek a new one.

In this capacity he acts independently of government. And he will need to examine the evidence himself.

But it is clear to me that the new evidence in today’s report raises vital questions which must be examined.

And the Attorney General has assured me that he will examine this new evidence immediately and reach a decision as fast as possible.

But ultimately it is for the High Court to decide.

It is also right that the House should have an opportunity to debate the issues raised in this report fully.

My Rt Hon Friend the Home Secretary will be taking forward a debate in Government time. And this will happen when the House returns in October.

Apology

Mr Speaker, I want to be very clear about the view the government takes about these findings and why after 23 years this matters so much, not just for the families but for Liverpool and for our country as a whole.

Mr Speaker what happened that day – and since – was wrong.

It was wrong that the responsible authorities knew Hillsborough did not meet minimum safety standards and yet still allowed the match to go ahead.

It was wrong that the families have had to wait for so long – and fight so hard – just to get to the truth.

And it was wrong that the police changed the records of what happened and tried to blame the fans.

We ask the police to do difficult and often very dangerous things on our behalf.

And South Yorkshire Police is a very different organisation today from what it was then.

But we do the many, many honourable police men and women a great disservice if we try to defend the indefensible.

It was also wrong that neither Lord Justice Taylor nor the Coroner looked properly at the response of the other emergency services.

Again, these are dedicated people who do extraordinary things to serve the public.

But the evidence from today’s report makes very difficult reading.

Mr Speaker, with the weight of the new evidence in this report, it is right for me today as Prime Minister to make a proper apology to the families of the 96 for all they have suffered over the past 23 years.

Indeed, the new evidence that we are presented with today makes clear that these families have suffered a double injustice.

The injustice of the appalling events – the failure of the state to protect their loved ones and the indefensible wait to get to the truth.

And the injustice of the denigration of the deceased – that they were somehow at fault for their own deaths.

On behalf of the Government – and indeed our country – I am profoundly sorry for this double injustice that has been left uncorrected for so long.

Why this matters for Merseyside and the country

Mr Speaker, because of what I have described as the second injustice – the false version of events – not enough people in this country understand what the people of Merseyside have been through.

This appalling death toll of so many loved ones lost was compounded by an attempt to blame the victims.

A narrative about hooliganism on that day was created which led many in the country to accept that it was somehow a grey area.

Today’s report is black and white.

The Liverpool fans “were not the cause of the disaster”.

The panel has quite simply found “no evidence” in support of allegations of “exceptional levels of drunkenness, ticketlessness or violence among Liverpool fans”; ”no evidence that fans had conspired to arrive late at the stadium”; and “no evidence that they stole from the dead and dying.”

Mr Speaker, I’m sure the whole House will want to thank the Bishop of Liverpool and his panel for all the work they have done.

And I am sure that all sides will join with me in paying tribute to the incredible strength and dignity of the Hillsborough families and the community which has backed them in their long search for justice.

While nothing can ever bring back those who have been lost with all the documents revealed and nothing held back the families, at last, have access to the truth.

And I commend this Statement to the House.