Heysel and Hillsborough...

[max_tranmere]

I heard that Murdoch forced him to go on national radio and apologise, which he did. Bizarelly he is now a columnist on the paper, I have no idea why they re-employed him, and he has caused a lot of controversy since aswell. I think part of the criticism towards him and The Sun following Hillsborough was how graphic the photos in the paper were - shots of people being crushed to death where it would be very easy for their relatives to recognise them. Aswell, of course, there were lots of heavy accusations against the Liverpool fans, which you have listed above.

On the issue of the graphic photos, it did seem to be the trend to print photos that were that graphic back in those days. If you look at some of the magazine and newspaper covers following Heysel in 1985 they happily showed loads of corpses where the families of those (deceased) people would easily be able to recognise them. There seemed to be that trend, in those days, for printing warzone like pictures - and it was deemed ok. Not now of course.

That isnt to defend Mackenzie, he is a bad guy and his words under the heading 'Hillsborough: The Truth' are enough to repulse Merseysiders and make them boycott the paper probably forever. I do wonder though whether the accompanying photos, were (considering the time) really that excessive. Like I said that happened after Heysel and in many other cases aswell. That kind of extreme graphic-ness was the trend in the 1980's.

[Tony__T]

I'm in two minds about the graphic photographs. Looking at it from a purely human angle, I cannot understand why a press photographer is more interested in getting a photo than he is in helping people out of the disaster.

However, from a journalistic viewpoint, it should have been recorded - firstly because it is, like it or not, part of history and also to shock people into ensuring that it never happens again (i.e. fences and pens coming down etc).

I had a similar discussion with my mum after 9/11 - if you remember the photos of people jumping out of the World Trade Centre before it collapsed. My mum found them very upsetting and complained to some of the newspapers who printed them. But, as I said to her, it was a historic event and from a journalistic viewpoint should have covered.

The Daily Mirror printed some absolutely horrific photographs on its front page. One in particular still sticks in my mind, it was absolutely horrible. But I was more offended at The Sun and McKenzie's lies than I was about the photographs (luckily, I didn't see my schoolfriend who died in any of the photos - maybe I'd feel different if I had).

[nasty]

Annoys me how they don't learn any lessons from the past. The ticketless fans again rushed the turnstiles at CL final in Athens, leaving many fans with tickets locked out when the Athens authorities had to lock the doors in fear of overcrowding.

Again, the authorities were blamed!

How about taking responsibility, I'd feel like scum sitting in someone's seat while they're stuck outside with their ticket. The event was even worse considering the previous history.

That's why I have very little sympathy, I think Hillsborough was an accident, with errors on both sides.

[max_tranmere]

I always wonder how fans can 'rush the turnstyles' anyway. Surely only one person can get through at a time and that is when the guy in the box allows someone through. Don't they have the metal bar thing going across that turns as you go through (same as when you enter a public toilet complex in a railway station after inserting your 20p into the slot)?. At least now if many do get through a crush cant occur as there is no fencing before you get to the pitch.

[max_tranmere]

Someone mentioned earlier how after Harry Enfield started doing 'The Scousers' sketch people started arriving at Liverpool games with the 'tachs and the wigs, etc. I remember it wasn't just him who conveyed the stereotype of Liverpool people like that, there was also a character on 'Brookside' for years who was like that. His name was Eddie Banks and he was the total cliche - he was in his 40's, wore tight jeans and trainers, a Pringle sweater, had collar-length hair, a gold chain round his neck, and he used the word "scran" for food! I remember his wife was called Rosie and when she would cook him a nice dinner he would say, as he was eating it, "good scran Rosie, good scran!!". So 'Brookside' helped perpertuate the cliche of the stereotypical Scouser as much as Harry Enfield did! Lol!

[Brainsinmedick]

Very few people buy the sun in Liverpool.
The lies about robbing corpses and urinating on police were fed to the sun by the police themselvs to divert attention away from their own shortcomings on the day.

[Grendel1]

There has never been a proper apology from the S*n over the Hillsborough lies.

BTW LFC has NEVER forgotten Heysel, and always claimed full responsibilty, even though personally I think the stadium wasn't up to holding such a big match, and many Juve fans were allowed in the Liverpool end, and I know for a fact that the Chelsea headhunters were there in numbers

Most of the guilty were brought to justice, there was never any cover up (unlike Hillsborough!)

[tichboy]

it was'nt only Liverpool fans who got your country banned,it was a culmination of your league teams and national team going abroad that broke the camels back..

[mrmcfister]

Yep Liverpool fans ...fucking pond life...

[Grendel1]

Why reserect this thread with such a statement? Needless and offensive.