Manchester United have avoided sanctions from UEFA after supporters chanted about the Hillsborough disaster during last week's 2-0 Europa League defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.
UEFA refused to take further action over the incident the club condemned fans who chanted and taunted Liverpool fans supporters about the 96 deaths that occurred at Hillsborough during the 1989 FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
Liverpool fans hold up a mosaic of banners spelling out the words "The Truth" before their team's FA Cup soccer match against Arsenal at Anfield in 2007. The mosaic is in reference to a statement by the former editor of The Sun newspaper Kelvin Mackenzie who said before Christmas that accusations printed at the time in The Sun about the behaviour of Liverpool fans after the Hillsbrough disaster were "the truth". Image: Dave Thompson/AP/Press Association Images
There was also reported chanting about the Heysel disaster of 1985, when 39 people in the Juventus end were killed when a wall collapsed after clashes with Liverpool fans.
In a statement at the time, Manchester United said: “It has always been the position of Manchester United that chants of this nature, which refer to historical tragedies, have no place in the game and do not reflect the values the club holds. We are in discussion with our fans’ groups to seek their support in preventing this type of behaviour in the future.”
The chanting was not mentioned in the match officials’ reports and therefore no disciplinary proceedings were commenced because of this.
“There were people in the crowd who lost loved ones at Hillsborough and that’s really hard to take. It’s something we don’t want to hear" said former Liverpool player, Ray Houghton.
"It’s happened in the past with Liverpool fans to Manchester United with what happened at Munich. It’s uncalled for.
“When you lower yourself to that level, it’s quite remarkable. It should have been a night of celebration – they haven’t played each other in a European tie before. The fans should have been getting behind their own team. When you stoop as low as they did, for me, it’s dreadful.”
Via The Guardian
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