The day began with the Greater Manchester Police confiscating copies of Red Issue outside Old Trafford, and ended with Sir Alex Ferguson finally coming out fighting on the issue of racism. In between Patrice Evra wildly celebrated a Manchester United victory in front of the Stretford End, while Luis Suárez and Kenny Dalglish brought further embarrassment to their club. Just your average United versus Liverpool clash, then.
Barely two weeks on from the disgraceful scenes at Anfield, where 40,000 Liverpudlians sought to set race relations back a generation by victimising Patrice Evra, United exacted a modicum of revenge in Manchester. United won comfortably enough, but there was far more to this occasion than the odd goal in three. Set in the context of Suárez culpability over racially abusing Evra last October, the clash sparked into life before a ball had even been kicked when the Uruguayan refused the United captain’s pre-match handshake. The striker’s snub ensured a testy encounter, with players on both sides confronting each other in the tunnel at half-time, and then again at the final whistle.
But tensions were raised long before the players entered the field, with the GMP confiscating copies of Red Issue, t-shirts mocking Suárez, and arresting supporters selling the fanzine pre-match. The crime? Including a satirical, albeit tasteless, picture of a Klu Klux Klan hood on the back cover, with the words “Suarez is innocent” emboldened in red. So much for freedom of speech, then.
GMP accused the long-running fanzine of ‘inciting racial hatred’ in what is surely a massive over-reaction against an image that sought to mock Liverpool’s lack of action over racism. Inside the stadium fans reported that both fanzines and t-shirts were confiscated by stewards, although when contacted by Rant, the club insisted that it had not asked the police to seize the fanzines.
“Officers are now seizing the fanzines and in consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service we will take appropriate action against anyone either found selling this particular fanzine or provocatively displaying the image in public,” said Chief Superintendent Mark Roberts.
“I have taken this cause of action as both items are potentially offensive and we cannot be in a situation where hundreds or thousands of people were displaying offensive images at a football match. The consequences of taking no action could have resulted in public order incidents inside or outside the ground.”
Sadly police took no action against the deeply offensive image of Suárez lauding it inside Old Trafford, or for that matter, broadcast to millions via television.
Tensions were further increased before kick off when Liverpool’s star striker refused to shake Evra’s hand, resulting in an frustrated reaction from the Frenchman, and a counter snub from Rio Ferdinand. Suárez’ refusal came after Liverpool manager Dalglish had promised, on Thursday, that the matter was now behind his errant player and a handshake would take place.
Indeed, the Uruguayan’s deliberate provocation almost brought dividends for the visitors, with Evra flying into a tackle with the striker barely 30 seconds into the game. Referee Dowd was saved a difficult decision when the Frenchman flipped Ferdinand on his heading, missing Suárez in the process. Had the striker’s pre-match snub been as apparent to fans inside the stadium, as it was to those watching on TV, anger may well have spilled over from the pitch and into the stands.
To those watching the Uruguayan’s actions were little more than a premeditated act of insensitivity – another in a long line of indelibly offensive behaviour by the striker. It is also likely to backfire; an act so immature that even Dalglish’s one-eye defiance can hold no water. One wonders what Liverpool owner John Henry, still silent after all these months, must be thinking over in Boston.
“I could not believe it, I just could not believe it,” Ferguson told Sky Sports.
“We had a chat this morning and Patrice said: ‘I’m going to shake his hand, I have nothing to be ashamed of, I’m going to keep my dignity.’ And he [Suárez] refuses. He’s a disgrace to Liverpool Football Club, that certain player should not be allowed to play for Liverpool again.
“The history that club’s got and he does that and in a situation like today could have caused a riot. I was really disappointed in that guy, it was terrible what he did. It created a tension, you’ve seen the referee didn’t know what to do about it. It was a terrible start to the game, a terrible atmosphere it created.
“We’ve got to get our house in order in terms of fighting racism. It’s an important issue in this country. Football’s come a long way from the days of John Barnes when they were throwing bananas at him to where we are today. We can’t go back. We have to go forward in a positive way and ban it altogether.”
By half-time opposing players were at each others’ throats as Evra sought to confront Suárez, and those on both sides engaged in what Sky Sports euphemistically called “shenanigans” – it could have been a lot more serious than a few minutes of pushing in the Old Trafford tunnel.
Meanwhile, in the studio Gary Neville and Darren Fletcher clashed with Jamie Redknapp. The former Liverpool player placed blame for the incident on the Football Association’s insistence that the normal pre-match routine take place, while Neville called the striker’s snub “embarrassing”.
Then came the moment United fans hoped for as Wayne Rooney scored twice within five minutes of the re-start to put the Reds in control and top of the Premier League table. With no little drama Suárez bundled in a goal for the visitors, but anything less than victory would have been an injustice for the hosts in a match that United thoroughly dominated.
Once again football seemed the back-drop to a bigger story though. Evra’s joyous victory celebration in front of the Stretford End was just yards from Suárez as the Uruguayan trudged off the pitch, head hung low. Pepe Reina and Martin Skrtel were only prevented from confronting the United captain by the rapid intervention of referee Dowd.
Over to Kenny for an apology? Not likely, as Dalglish once again failed to confront the issue of racism, instead blaming the media for increasing the tension surrounding the match. Laughably, the Liverpool manager also pretended that he was unaware of Suárez’ non-handshake. It is, seemingly, never Liverpool’s fault.
“I never knew he never shook his hand,” claimed the increasingly befuddled Dalglish.
“I’ll take your word for it. But I don’t know. I wasn’t there. I never saw it. That is contrary to what I was told. I think you are very severe and are bang out of order to blame Luis Suárez for anything that happened here today. You know something else, when we had the FA Cup tie, because there wasn’t a 24-hour news channel in the build-up to the game, nothing like this happened.”
The striker continued in a similar vein, taking to Twitter to claim that “everything is not as it seems.” Noises coming from the Liverpool dressing room, leaked via the media, suggested that Suárez had not rejected Evra’s hand, but that the Frenchman had withdrawn the offer. There has been a long-line of ludicrous statements emanating from Anfield since October, but this one surely tops them all. It is not, seemingly, ever Liverpool’s fault.
Meanwhile, at GMP headquarters the police continue to hold more than 1,600 copies of Red Issue as “evidence” of a potential offence under the Race Act. It was a day in which football leapt from myopic denial, to the police state, all in one short afternoon.
we are being made to understand that evra is god and it is the end of the world when suarez didnt shake hands wiz him.
i know your utd fans but your so biased do you condeme your fans for thiere sick chants about the 96 no.
you give your support to cantana who kung fu kicks a fan.
you support a player who admits he injureda player and put him out the game on purpose.
you support a player who misses a drug test because he had to go shopping yer right.
i could go on.
Joe – moral equivalence: the practice of pointing to anything, however irrelevant, to disguise your side’s wrongdoing. ‘Don’t talk about Suarez, look at all the terrible things you’ve done….’ It’s never Liverpool’s fault is it? Always somebody else to blame. Your decaying club. Somebody else. Crime and a generation on the dole. Not your fault. Your moral failure. Somebody else. Racist bastard players. All Evra’s fault. It’s a smokescreen that fools nobody. What has anything you mentioned got to do with human stain that is Luis Suarez? Nothing, but let’s just carry on with the blame game anyway…
Spot on Ed, been on the LFC fanzine site and the apologists crap on there borders on hysteria that they (LFC) could get anything wrong – best thing about this site you do get intelligent replies (love the swearing too) and also a “we dont always agree” mentality, something lacking on the LFC site both morally and educationaly.
IRWA (I’d rather walk alone)
I’m a bit baffled by the GMP position. I’m happy to be challenged and convinced otherwise but the Red Issue cut out mask is broadly challenging racism (although crudely doing so) yet not inciting racial hatred? I’m not a lawyer and maybe the interpretation of the law is yet to be contested in such an instance. But that said it seems like a challenge to racism in the same way that the UAF may challenge such a group in opposition.
With all that said and with a tip of the hat to Ed’s post the following blog pretty much sums it up to the point of ending the discussion.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/feb/11/liverpool-kenny-dalglish-luis-suarez
Liverpool FC have had a significant impact on Liverpool as a city and it’s going to take a long time to straighten this out. Liverpool – European Capital of Culture 2008…Really?
Well, as they say, leave a yoghurt long enough and it will develop a culture – shame it didnt work for the mickey’s
IRWA (I’d Rather Walk Alone)
You are absolutely right only you should have said Liverpool Police and it that reaction to the fanzine was overreaction then the evra’s celebration is surely a very natural under reaction. amazing evra so many years in EPL but never showed that way of celebrating , simply provocative but he is a saint soul or perhaps a new way of fighting racism..
The most interesting paragraph from the blog is this:
“He had been wrong [Evra], as well, to hunt out Suárez at half-time but, for those of us in the press box, the abiding memory of that point was the clutch of former Liverpool players stood around, shaking their heads and concluding with a mixture of embarrassment and horror that Dalglish would have to remove Suárez.”
eh, football wise, 7 points from games against arsenal, chelsea and liverpool is fantastic. very happy with this, now need to get cleverley and hopefully nani back and start racking up the goals.
don’t really care about the europa league, would be glad to see keane, pogba etc.
Am I misunderstanding the RED ISSUE comment?
Red Issue is a UTD fanzine and you are mentioning it to have a dig and get Liverpool in trouble??
Mistake my friend!! You have just shown the class of utd supporters with that!
browny – I’m assuming that your IQ is around the same as your shoe size. So I’ll speak s l o w l y. It’s nothing to do with Liverpool – it’s about the police confiscating a piece of satire. You can look the last word up in a dictionary. You know, that big book with lots of words…
I’m misunderstanding your misunderstanding about Red Issue? Red Issue are confronting Liverpool Fc fans with the racist nature of their stance on the Evra/Suarez case. They didn’t do it to get Liverpool FC in trouble. That’s quite clear as no avenue is available to get LFC in trouble. It’s a dig, but one based on a reasonable platform given the reluctance of LFC to accept any wrong doing.
Sunday papers will be interesting. Whats Alan Greens take on all this?
If I was a football player and if someone made a false claim of racism and then drags my name through the mud,forcing me to get banned from my profession,I wouldn’t shake the twats hand either.
Suarez admitted that he called Evra “Negrito”, but said that in his country it is not seen as racist. So he called him that in a friendly way… Yah Right! It was intended to hurt and through Evra off, no other reason. What I don’t get is how all the Liverpool fans have been taken in by the club and KKKenny so easily. Must be because of the low IQ’s.
By the way he wasn’t banned, that is just wishful thinking. He was suspended for 8 games. Go check out the difference between the 2.
Ashish he was found guilty of racial abuse fist of all which he didn’t appeal. So where is the false accusation? Suarez even testified himself that he had said it and if you take his comments to the Uruguayan press just after the incident there really is no argument.
The police don’t do satire or irony
Private Eye have done a similar KKK piss take regarding Terry
Why don’t you fuck off?
Your opinion is just stubborn ignorance, and enough people here have wasted enough time pointing that out… so why do you keep coming back for more?
Aye, as usual everyone’s out to get Suarez. I mean, look at his previous ‘scandals’
http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=GB#/watch?v=kFww9ADKffs
In the first instance it’s clear that he’s sneezing. The lad on the other team sees a malicious opportunity to stand still and let his neck take the brunt of Suarez’s forward momentum. And what happens? The Dutch FA take the easy route of banning a player just because they believe he may end up playing for Liverpool one day, whereas the real perpetrator gets away scot free. It’s a disgrace. Same thing with the ‘handball’. What the rest of the world don’t understand, because of their ignorance, is that in the context of Uruguayian culture a rule of ‘goalie when needed’ is applied during football games. This allows any player operating on or near the goal line to assume the status of goalkeeper. And yet he’s made out to be some sort of cheat?!
It’s not on. When will you scousers realise that there is a clear agenda both within the media, the FA and the footballing public In general to persecute you for any and every action? You need to unite and fight as one voice in your moment of darkness. A crusade for justice – that’s what you need.
Great article here Ed, I’m glad you point out the issues with the police getting involved and undermining free speech, but i can understand why they did it… no-one with any decency wants to see someone wearing a KKK mask, even in jest. Mind you the t-shirts I heard about with ‘klanfield’ on them, very witty.
In fact in all your articles and posts on this you’ve given a very balanced evidence based assessment of the case. To me this incident just shows how fucking dumb some people (yes i’m talking about you kenny ‘I cant find my’ dogleash) really are.
I mean what a complete fucking retarded twat. trying to defend the indefensible, and with a poker face to boot, he actually believes he’s right. Maybe he’s getting some kind of brain atrophy in his old age, that affects his reasoning and ability to function as a human being. I mean how else can you explain his stupidity. I’m actually disgusted and ashamed that this man is given a platform to express his opinions. And he’s a fucking shit manager too.
He could have come out and put this to bed months ago. Accepted the decision and made his player issue an apology. Case closed. What he’s done is like a fucking despicable venomous snake. He’s allowed tribal hatred to get in the way of rational human thought. Personally I think it’s a reflection of our society that he’s still in a job.
Also I know I shouldn’t say it because i don’t know him but doesn’t Gerrard always look so fucking miserable and angry. His face is like his dad just died. Certainly not someone who you’d say was a jolly person. Maybe it’s because he’s a repressed homosexual, who knows, but that could explain him. I just hope the fucker doesn’t get anywhere near the England team, let’s pray he’s injured. I don’t care if he’s a world class player, there’s something wrong with people who don’t know how to smile… and get violent because a DJ won’t play YMCA…
This whole thing is a joke and it makes me proud to be a united fan. I know in my heart, god bless him, our manager would never have gone down this path, and united is, despite its globalisation and big finance, a club that still has a moral soul, and that’s a force for good.
he is just an excuse for a human being
disgusting individual
For some reason, Alf, this tosser keeps coming back like a bad smell, ignoring everyone’s responses on the old Suarez threads and repeating his same tired old nonsense on a new Suarez thread.
I think this apologist is just a bit thick. Plain and simple.
What an ugly mess.
“Sadly police took no action against the deeply offensive image of Suárez lauding it inside Old Trafford, or for that matter, broadcast to millions via television.”
Superbly put. Something every pundit, especially ex-Liverpool players have conveniently ignored, while slamming Evra for celebrating the duel victory against racists and rivals at the end. The least he deserved. One of them actually said he did it in front of the Liverpool fans… just incredible.
Hah, the ABU crowd including themselves amongst the racists. Can we start calling Pool supporters a virus now?
One thing that hasn’t been picked up on in any detail is the fact the Suarez twatted the ball into the crowd at half time. I may be wrong, but I think that’s a sending off offence. I’m sure I remember gary Neville being sent off for that very thing a few years ago,
Ed,
I don’t understand you would even bother to publish comments from Loserpool supporters, let alone give them explanations. Low IQs? I would first check whether they have brains!
Collymore is class on Twitter
StanCollymore
There are more high profile former Liverpool players in the media than most clubs. So the notion of an anti Liverpool bias is absurd.
StanCollymore
I know plenty of REAL #lfc fans who are appalled at the message that’s been sent since the t-shirts. They are scared to say anything though
StanCollymore
In my opinion,if this were any other manager other than Kenny,lots more #lfc fans would have questioned the club stance.
StanCollymore Stan Collymore
Every club has a minority,lets not pretend otherwise. But when a club sends a blurred message,the number grows,thinking its “support”.
Linekar is taking a break from Twitter
GaryLineker
I’m disappearing from twitter for a while. Need a break from the bile. Local prejudice just seems to bring out the worst in some people.
Suarez apologises http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/luis-suarez-i-m-sorry
Liverpool admit he was wrong http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/ian-ayre-luis-was-wrong
Booyah. There was this myth going round that Evra didn’t offer out his hand for Suarez to shake, and it was ‘supported’ by a heavily edited couple of stills which show Evra’s hand close to his body – like that proved anything
But anybody watching MOTD last night will have seen the handshake from 2 different angles, and you clearly saw Evra put his hand out and Suarez ignore it
What’s shit though is that they’ll bollock him over this because he has defied the leader of the cult; Dalglish. But they won’t bollock him for using racially abusive language. But then I suppose this is the best we’ll get from these cunts.
Pissing myself reading through some of the threads on RAWK. What a bunch of deluded, thick, self victimising twats they are.
im pretty sure suarez knows nothing about this apology… hes a horrible little cunt
Another statement from Dalglish. Pure gold. It makes the scousers who have started bleating about conspiracy theories on RAWK look like even bigger cunts.
Dalglish’s apology http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/kd-we-all-have-a-responsibility-1
“When I went on TV after yesterday’s game I hadn’t seen what had happened, but I did not conduct myself in a way befitting of a Liverpool manager during that interview and I’d like to apologise for that.”
So he apologises for being a cunt in a TV interview but not for taking a bullshit stance on racism
Apparently United are about to make a statement too.
Chris Kamara had suggested earlier in the day that there should be a joint press conference between Manchester United and Liverpool with Suarez apologising to Evra in front of the cameras.
Great idea but won’t happen, sadly.
Still, any sign of contrition from Liverpool for anything they have ever done wrong is welcome – when you consider what their track record is.
Suarez should apologise to Evra for making the racist comments and Liverpool should apologise for the slanderous comments they made towards the player in their official statements. The best we’ll get is an apology for not shaking hands, though.
Reds accept rivals’ apology
http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2012/Feb/manchester-united-statement-on-liverpool-apology.aspx
Manchester United thanks Liverpool for the apologies issued following Saturday’s game.
Everyone at Old Trafford wants to move on from this. The history of our two great clubs is one of success and rivalry unparalleled in British football.
That should be the focus in the future of all those who love the clubs.
They haven’t really apologised to us though, have they?
Wow, what a great idea by LFC yesterday.
Cause a massive furore with Suarez acting like a grotbag then have Kenny defend him and look bad as well.
Wait for the backlash
Then issue an apology for the incidents and everyone moves on thinking they’ve apologised while they have never apologised to Evra and the situation is blurred.
The have gotten away with not apologising for the main offence of racial abuse and questioning Evra while defending Suarez.
Exactly. Absolutely abhorrent behaviour… but we shouldn’t be surprised by that anymore.
Still hasn’t apologised to Evra.
Also, Alan Green is a fucking cunt. Scouse bias is sickening. Well done to Stan Collymore and many others who have taken an intelligent stance on this issue.
I’m slightly disappointed that United have ‘accepted’ a PR stunt.
Cameron plans summit on racism in football later this month
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17001503
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/12/sports/soccer/liverpools-luis-suarez-refuses-to-shake-the-hand-of-uniteds-patrice-evra.html?_r=1&src=tp
Most likely that LFC’s owners in America have read Dalglish and Suarez the riot act after articles such as these started circulating in America. Hence apology.
I agree with Squigs… I’m betting that there would have been no apology, or anything other than further whinging and conspiracy mongering from Dalglish and Liverpool… but the owners have stepped in and said “enough”…
The handshake that “didn’t” happen… was before the game even kicked off… but Dalglish wants us to believe that, right up until the post-match interview… nearly 2 hours later… after everyone else interested in the game knew about it… even after the half time ruckus, that required officials and cops to sort out… that he “didn’t know” the handshake didn’t happen… yeah right… fuck off Kenny… we’re not stupid…
Dalglish was never going to bend to this issue… he was “told” to.
Kenny Dalglish. Lower than pond life this Liverpool hero. I am convinced he is a racist.
Not sure about that. Hes a prize cunt though.
Important information here in the 2011-2012 section: “Jay Spearing has recently been awarded the PFA’s player most likely to frighten the kids award taking the title from luis suarez, you must not look directly into his eyes or you will turn to stone”
from here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Spearing
Someone’s enjoying themselves.
Apparently the tunnel bust up was sparked by some cunt spitting on de Gea.
More classy behaviour…
And it seems Squigs was right… Liverpools owners forced the issue, and demanded apologies…
So to save face, everyone at Liverpool… including Dalglish are dumping ALL the blame on Suarez… saying he “mislead” them.
Suarez is guilty as fuck, no worries… but he had unwavering support from everyone at Liverpool… until apologies were FORCED from them… now they’ll all turn their backs on him… that’s proper loyalty, that is.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2100340/David-De-Gea-tunnel-spitting-row.html
An utterly horrid affair from start to finish, if I am honest, and one where Liverpool have done their very best to look like a complete set of idiots.
There’s been a lack of consistency in their approach to supporting their player, and an utter lack of shame from them in the backing of the player. The owners look weak and out of touch, only now intervening when the brand became more at risk of significant damage given the utterly ridiculous behaviour from Suarez.
Evra, no matter how funny it actually was, really shouldn’t have celebrated in front of Suarez and given Suarez’s past record (biting, butting, etc) it could have turned nasty. I am glad it didn’t take a turn for the violent, because Evra would probably have been culpable for that.
The rumours now surfacing that De Gea was spat at by one of the Liverpool players are unbelievable. What on earth were they thinking.
a massive PR stunt from Liverpool……As if anyone believes a word they have said…Only positive thing is that it is out in the public domain now and will be a useful stick to beat them with over the next few years
Have to say the Red Issue stunt was in real bad tatse and i think the po po were right to confiscate it.
Bollocks
It’s not too dissimilar to an image in the latest Private Eye: a picture of the KKK in all their garb, and the caption “Fans back Terry”
Why is that not being pulled off the shelves in Asda and Tesco
Where’s that scouse cunt who’s been trolling on here? Fucked off, has he?
New story today about De Gea being spit at in the tunnel.
So if that’s true, it means literally everything is Liverpool’s fault. And yet they still play the victim and refuse to apologise to Evra.
and meant to add… Liverpool’s sponsors contacted them to say they were disappointed, hence the PR stunt I’m guessing.
yeah the backtracking from Loserpool is without doubt a PR backtrack rather than a moral one. The sponsors must be fuming!
Liverpool and there eternally blameless culture! makes me sick
LFC sponsors Standard Chartered had ‘very robust conversation’ with club over handshake incident
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/feb/13/luis-suarez-liverpool-standard-chartered?newsfeed=true
Suarez and Dalglish apologise after owners intervene http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17004667
Hence the apologies… FFS
Even better in some ways. The fact that theyve only ‘apologised’ after pressure at a commercial level makes their stance even more damning and hollow. Genuine contrition might have been a step towards digging themselves out of a hole. This way round, that’s less so.
Cunts, the lot of em.
To be fair to the Liverpool players about the tunnel incident, De Gea is a real shit-stirrer and head case, he’s only himself to blame for getting spat on.
What made you come out with that shite?
What the fuck are you on about??? Fuck off cunt bag
Oh, how could I have been so naive to have thought that the Scousers were being genuine
I would have loved to have seen the look on the owners’ faces when they picked up the Boston Herald or New York Times and checked out the front page. The thought of Dalglish getting a bollocking is funny.
Where the fuck do you get that from???
I was being sarcastic. De Gea looks like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth, whoever spat on him would had to have been a particularly major arseholish scumbag, which doesn’t really narrow it down much.
didn’t de gea steal a krispy kreme doughnut from tesco’s?
welbeck and evans were great
and rafael
rooney was denied a hattrick for no reason, that was a wondergoal
Evans really has turned a corner…
Evans was brilliant against Liverpool
He went mental for both Rooney’s goals too
He was aving it
No charge for Red Issue’s spoof KKK mask
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