Alan Davies - The Tuesday Club Podcast Liverpool Outburst

Not sure how many of you picked up on this story about Alan Davies (from Jonathan Creek/ QI) and his outburst on his Arsenal 'Tuesday Club' podcast.

He basically slated Liverpool/ Dalgleish from refusing to play on April 15th because it's the date of Hillsborough which has put presure on Chelsea's fixture list giving them less time to prepare for the CL Barca match:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...y-refuses-1k-donation-backlash-continues.html

'Davies said: 'Liverpool and the 15th - that gets on my tits that s***. What are you talking about "We won’t play on the day"? Why can’t they?'
The podcast presenter Ian Stone attempted to reason with Davies by saying: ‘Because it’s too sad a memory.’
However, the TV star responded: 'Do they play on the date of the Heysel Stadium disaster? How many dates do they not play on?
'Do Man United play on the date of Munich? Do Rangers play on the date when all their fans died in that disaster whatever year that was - 1971?'


I agree that the way he spoke about it was very much out of order and has rightly apologies, but I do see his point about not playing at all.

It is a disaster that should never be forgotten BUT why can't they play, surely like plenty of other matches they have a minutes silence/applause so what makes this one any different. If it had only recently happened then fine but we are talking 23 years since it happened.

Before any Liverpool fans come on kicking off, this is not meant to be disrespectful or to cause offence just an honest question.
How long does this date have to be avoided?
Had Dalgleish not been in charge would Liverpool have played if asked to?

What's peoples views on this?

Can we keep it to non abusive as I appreciate it can be a sensitive subject to some.

 

SirBR

You're allowed to ask the question and so was Davies its the manner he adopted which was/is offensive. Laughing about it and getting comedy from the audience in reference to it is inapproporiate.

The reason why Liverpool don't play is because Liverpool Football Club takes the lead from the families of the 96 victims as regards what they wish for the club to do to honour the Hillsborough disaster. They wish for Liverpool to not play on that day so the club will not do so. Instead they have a memorial every year in Anfield on the anniversary. This year its at 13:00 and they are expecting around 10,000 fans alongside the players and support staff at the club to attend.

I think its fair enough, people should be allowed to grieve however they wish, its not Liverpool who make this major public news every year its people like Davies complaining about it which brings it back into the public eye so all the comments about "mourning sickness" and "public grief" which certain newspapers have chimed on about in the last day or two don't ring true for me.

 

Liverpool not wanting to play on 15/4 is all fine and well. The question is why does the rest of the football world have to adjust their schedules in accordance with Liverpool's wishes ?

No one can force Liverpool to play a fixture on 15/4. They can turn up or forfeit as they like. Why, though, can Liverpool force the FA not to list fixtures on 15/4 ?

 

The families have the right to grieve in privacy and with the matches being held at Wembley leaves Anfield open to have a memorial held there if they want.

Whether people like it or not football is a business, fair enough if their refusal to play does not affect others but in this instance it has a knock on effect to Chelsea and their preparation for the champions league game against Barca.

 

because they are arrogant and expect special treatment unlike Juve

 

I feel sorry for the Liverpool fns who lost their lives and for fans who lost their loved ones.
But Iv'e lost family but on the day of anniversary I get up and go to work. Life goes on.

 

It was a terrible day for football and football fans throughout the world were saddened by the terrible loss of life. However, life goes on and the families and friends of the departed should be allowed to grieve in their own way.

I'm sure Liverpool will have a period of silence which hopefully will be observed and respected by all.

 

I bet Sunderland still play on October 31st.

Playing on that date for Liverpool should be used to celebrate them, what more fitting way could there be than Liverpool playing a game? A full house celebrating their lives.

 

Exactly, remember them as they'd have liked to be remembered, as fans of Liverpool FC.

 

If it's the wishes of the 96 for the club not to play then the club shouldn't really be blamed for disrupting the fixture list, they're simply respecting the wishes of the families. It's an awkward situation for sure but it's not really an agreement they can go back on without causing upset.

 

The families want justice, I agree they deserve it and I hope they keep going, and remember them is something we will always do because it was such a tragedy. Life goes on, and the families should realise that playing on that day would be such a fantastic occasion. Imagine celebrating the 96, I'm a semi final at Wembley? I think that would be a whole lot better than putting on a memorial service at Anfield.

 

Agreed but until the 96 as a group give the club the go ahead, their hands are rather morally tied.

 

He's a muppet

 

Hate to agree with Boris Johnson but scousers are 'hooked on tragedy'. They love playing the victim

 

Yes, but why does that mean that Chelsea should be deprived of a day of preparation for a Champions League semi-final ?

Why should other teams bear the cost of Liverpool's moral obligation ? If anyone has to make a sacrifice to spare the feelings of the 96 lub, shouldn't be Liverpool by choosing not to play at the FA Cup semi-final rather than Chelsea by having to play possibly the best team in the world with tired legs ?

 

He's correct. At some stage you have to move on.

 

I was at school in St Helens when this happened and a few people in my class lost family members, the weeks after it happened were awful and I hope I never see anything like it ever again. I personally don't mind having a game on the anniversary, and I reckon it would be marked with respect by any opposition if a game did ever happen.

However, as other people have said - until the families and the group are ok with it - the club has to respect their wishes.

I'll add though, if the semi's were not at Wembley the Chelsea Fixture congestion would not be an issue.

 

This!

What if a Premier League team (let's say Bolton) suddenly signed 10 orthodox Christians who refused to play on Sundays, Bolton appeal to the EPL and declare they are not eligible to play on Sunday games, do you think, given the SKY money involved, the EPL would give even a portion of a ****? No, of course not!

 

These

 

But why should there hands be tied by the families and their wishes, I agree they should be a mark of respect shown to those who died. But why should a multi million pound business have to make special allowances for a select few. It may sound heartless but it was 23 years ago not something that just happened.

They need to move on and stop pandering to them, have a minutes silence/applause or lay a wreath out of respect but stop pissing other people and clubs about.