Hillsborough Charity refuses donation.

[Gromit]

Liverpool FC Refuse to play any football fixtures on April 15th, the anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy. It is unusual for a team to dictate to the FA when they will play. It can also cause problems for opponents, who find they may have to play games closer together, to accommodate Liverpool FCs stance.

On some obscure football TV channel, comedian Alan Davis questioned Liverpool's refusal to play. He pointed out that they are happy to play on the anniversay of the Heysal tragedy. He also pointed out that Manchester United play on the anniversary of the Munich disaster and Rangers on the anniversary of the Ibrox Stadium disaster.

This caused a backlash, and Davis tried to make amends by offering to give £1000 to the Hillsborough charity. But they refuse to accept the money.

Are they right in not accepting the donation?

http://www.dailymail....refuses-donation.html

[weecalf]

Whos they .

[Gromit]

Are the charity correct in refusing Davis' money?

[DTCwordfan]

Davis was a plonker as Hillsborough is still very alive within the Club - and politically - look at the revealing of the Thatcher papers ten days or so. The charity is an extension of the club, psychologically anyway, so yes they are right as it is tainted money at the moment. A public apology in the Liverpool papers would be more apropos and meaningful.

[johnk]

Yes

[Gromit]

Does he have anything to apologise for? What did he say that is not fair comment? Or is any criticism of Liverpool off limits?

[rowanwitch]

It was a terrible incident...and a huge tragedy but surely it would be better to play on the anniversary and combine the match with a fitting tribute... After all it was wanting to see a football match that brought them to the ground that day... so I think Alan Davis made a valid point... and the charity should accept his apology and donation in the spirit it was given.

[johnk]

So why did he feel guilty enough to offer a £1000 donation?

[daftgrandad]

If they can afford to refuse a donation such as this,then they must be very well
off,to be able to pick and choose.
I agree with Alan Davis,other clubs play on anniversaries of tragedies,so why should Liverpool be different.
Whilst I appreciate many people suffered great losses,time is a great healer.

[johnk]

Charities aren't just about money

[daftgrandad]

That is very true johnk,however they would struggle to exist without it.

[Gromit]

// So why did he feel guilty enough to offer a £1000 donation? //

Damage limitation. I don't think he will be gigging in Liverpool for a while now. If I was Davis, I would do exactly what he has done. Apologise for inadvertently causing offence but not for the comments.

[emmie]

i don't think he should have apologised at all. He was right clubs play on days of other disasters, so why should this be any different. Perhaps they hadn't noticed that this is the same day Titanic went down, should someone keep on apologising for that.

[Gromit]

// Liverpool have always had special dispensation to avoid matches on that date and Press Association Sport understands the club have already contacted the FA to remind them of the significance of that date. Dalglish said: "We won't play on the 15th." //

Should Everton have been offered a bye?

[johnk]

The match is on the 14th

[dave50]

Liverpool and it's people have always thought they were the centre of the universe and could do no wrong and the media always go along with it . Some of the gushing that goes on whenever Liverpool is mentioned is nauseating. Alan Davies was spot on when he questioned why they should get special treatment and it comes as no surprise that the usual suspects are up in arms about it. As Gromit pointed out, they never mention Heysal.

[daffy654]

Here's hoping the d1ckheads who thought it was ok to Tweet death threats to Alan Davies over this issue get prosecuted.

LFC should play the match on the 15th and stop being do precious.

[daffy654]

*so*

[EvianBaby]

I agree with him. I would have thought it would be more fitting to play on the day, in tribute to all the people who died there.

But I do feel the charity is right to refuse to accept his money if they strongly disagree with his beliefs. It would be a little hypocritical if they did and I'm sure now the story is highlighted in the press again, they will receive donations from other sources.

[Davethedog]

Yes - What he said was on a podcast, he didn't think it would get so much publicity. The £1,000 was a PR bribe.

[jomifl]

The police tried to stop a crowd of over-excited people crushing others to death by opening the gates whereapon they trampled them to death instead. The police are obviously to blame, Alun Davies is to blame, Liverpool fans are never wrong about anything, It's all someone else's fault. Is that a fair summary?