It’s been an extremely difficult weekend for Liverpool fans, some of whom were actually lucky enough to get in to the Stade de France on Saturday to see their team lose to Real Madrid in the final of Big Cup. Many more were left outside the stadium’s perimeter fence waving tickets for which they’d paid through the nose – noses which, along with their eyes were left streaming from the teargas sent wafting their way by members of the decidedly unfriendly local French constabulary.
Hundreds of match-goers and on-site reporters – among them authoritative voices such as Gary Lineker, Kelly Cates, Carrie Brown, Rob “Trouble" Harris, the lads from The Anfield Wrap and Big Paper’s own floating football brain in a jar, Jonathan Wilson, tweeted their own experiences, and those of the Liverpool fans left feeling let down, unsafe and downright scared. Still, there were plenty more on social media – but crucially nowhere near Paris – who knew better.
Childish tribalism meant they were happy to point their Big Finger O’Blame squarely in the direction of Liverpool fans. Almost to a man, woman and child, with only a few inevitable exceptions, they seemed serenely patient in the face of unspeakable organisational incompetence, and entirely blameless for the fiasco we all saw unfold.
We have been here before, of course, and it seems that little more than blind luck prevented another horrific tragedy unfold. And like before, those on duty have moved quickly to scapegoat innocent supporters. First falsely accusing them of turning up late, they then decided fans had turned up with tens of thousands of counterfeit tickets, without giving any evidence to support either claim.
“I’d like to thank the forces of law and order," said the French interior minister, Gérard Darmanin, of the local police. “They were very calm and able to avoid drama." Said rozzers were apparently also spotted threatening journalists who were recording their activities, and responding to cries for assistance from fans stuck outside the stadium by pepper-spraying them in the face.
France’s Minister of Sport, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, then announced that the problem had been caused by “30,000 to 40,000 fans without tickets or with fake tickets" rocking up to the ground. Without giving evidence to back this claim, and overlooking testimonies from people who were actually there, these assertions seem preposterous even by the standards of her own thick-as-a-submarine-door British counterpart, Nadine Dorries.
Meanwhile back on Merseyside, Liverpool’s players and backroom staff tried to get over their disappointment by taking to the streets on an open-top bus to celebrate the two pots they did win this season. As has become customary any time fans or footballers congregate to celebrate a big success, this time it was the Twitter Fun Gendarmes who were hurling metaphorical tear gas canisters their way. In a pursuit originally intended to be fun, it seems these days you’re damned when you do win trophies and even more damned when you don’t.
Today, a spokesman for the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, spoke up in favour of Liverpool fans, in whose hearts the Conservative Party has long had a special place. “We know many Liverpool fans travelled to Paris in good time to support their team in one of the biggest matches of the season, and we’re hugely disappointed at how they were treated," he said. “Fans deserve to know what happened, so we’re urging Uefa to work closely with the French authorities on a full investigation, and to publish its findings."
Welcome news and, while it’s exceptionally rare for Boris to be enthused by the prospect of an inquiry’s findings being published, we can only conclude that for once, on this occasion he is confident the dishonesty surrounding this omnishambles is nothing to do with him.
From the Guardian
For you, Finger pointed the right way
posted on 31/5/22
comment by *Redinthehead - FreeGaza - فلسطين (U1860)
posted 3 hours, 8 minutes ago
Tell admins to get a grip or we can just log off.
Whatever’s more important to them, Sandy spouting crap that’s offensive or people actually contributing.
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Maybe write an article addressed to Admin stating this. I’m up for joining en-masse. Don’t think it’s just LFC fans but he reserves his top bile for us.
Can’t believe the shiite he gets away with on here.
posted on 31/5/22
comment by son of quebec (U8127)
posted 4 hours, 10 minutes ago
comment by *Redinthehead - FreeGaza - فلسطين (U1860)
posted 1 minute ago
Tell admins to get a grip or we can just log off.
Whatever’s more important to them, Sandy spouting crap that’s offensive or people actually contributing.
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There's a filter button for a reason.
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But numbers are going down and if you were a potential new member and the first thing you read was one of his bile posts, the chances are that you wouldn’t be hanging around.
I do have him filtered btw, but still end up reading his shiite because of the reply feature.
posted on 31/5/22
comment by FieldsofAnfieldRd (U18971)
posted 1 hour, 5 minutes ago
comment by *Redinthehead - FreeGaza - فلسطين (U1860)
posted 3 hours, 8 minutes ago
Tell admins to get a grip or we can just log off.
Whatever’s more important to them, Sandy spouting crap that’s offensive or people actually contributing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Maybe write an article addressed to Admin stating this. I’m up for joining en-masse. Don’t think it’s just LFC fans but he reserves his top bile for us.
Can’t believe the shiite he gets away with on here.
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He’s just a disgusting human. He needs culling full stop, not just off this site. I find it hard that someone who says the things he does has anything to offer any society.
posted on 31/5/22
Term, saying Sandy needs culling (killing) is as bad as anything he's said.
I've deleted the worst, but you are over the top imo.
posted on 31/5/22
comment by manusince52 (U9692)
posted 2 minutes ago
Term, saying Sandy needs culling (killing) is as bad as anything he's said.
I've deleted the worst, but you are over the top imo.
---------deleted Sandys worst I should say-------------------------------------------------------------
posted on 31/5/22
comment by manusince52 (U9692)
posted 7 minutes ago
Term, saying Sandy needs culling (killing) is as bad as anything he's said.
I've deleted the worst, but you are over the top imo.
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Yeah I know, but I find him a truly despicable individual. The things he says every single day just makes me think that way. If he’s like this in ‘real life’ then what does he offer society? And if he’s only like that on here then that’s just as bad.
Feel free to delete, I have no issue with yourself and get that you don’t want that kind of thing on your article. But just bear in mind all the unprovoked utter bile he posts on a daily basis 👍
posted on 31/5/22
Fair enough then Term, I see you feel strongly;
As I say I don't really like deleting, it stops being a forum for us all, but I won't be deleting you. It is on your site after all, and the OP was on your side, and I feel that it told it as it was.
posted on 5/6/22
comment by SteveF (U22027)
posted 5 days, 1 hour ago
comment by Ladmin 3 (U1250)
posted 7 hours, 56 minutes ago
comment by manusince52 (U9692)
posted 2 hours, 33 minutes ago
It's not the best area, true. But during the day it's OK, I've been there with no problem. Loads of footie and rugby matches go on there, plus concerts with a no or few problems. It was the organisers plus police that caused the trouble.
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Was is the police jumping the gates and Robbing fans?
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And why did the Real fans experience absolutely none of these problems ?
Apparently, and for some strange reason, the French authorities just left them alone to stroll in and take their seats with minimal fuss, whilst specifically mistreating anyone in a red shirt.
It is of no surprise that anyone and everyone who supports Liverpool are going to claim foal play on them, but, come on, why were all these issues exclusive to just one half of the event, and the other half ran as smoothly as a Rolex watch.
Sorry but not at all convinced.
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Do you want to revisit your comment in light of testimony and complaint from Real Madrid and their fans?
You’re a prejudicial prat going off on one without waiting to hear from Madrid.
posted on 5/6/22
comment by *Redinthehead - FreeGaza - فلسطين (U1860)
posted 1 hour, 41 minutes ago
comment by SteveF (U22027)
posted 5 days, 1 hour ago
comment by Ladmin 3 (U1250)
posted 7 hours, 56 minutes ago
comment by manusince52 (U9692)
posted 2 hours, 33 minutes ago
It's not the best area, true. But during the day it's OK, I've been there with no problem. Loads of footie and rugby matches go on there, plus concerts with a no or few problems. It was the organisers plus police that caused the trouble.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Was is the police jumping the gates and Robbing fans?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
And why did the Real fans experience absolutely none of these problems ?
Apparently, and for some strange reason, the French authorities just left them alone to stroll in and take their seats with minimal fuss, whilst specifically mistreating anyone in a red shirt.
It is of no surprise that anyone and everyone who supports Liverpool are going to claim foal play on them, but, come on, why were all these issues exclusive to just one half of the event, and the other half ran as smoothly as a Rolex watch.
Sorry but not at all convinced.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you want to revisit your comment in light of testimony and complaint from Real Madrid and their fans?
You’re a prejudicial prat going off on one without waiting to hear from Madrid.
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It’s Steve F FFS. Of the same ilk as Sandy et al.
posted on 5/6/22
Yeah he is. Idiots without a clue them two.