Liverpool in disgrace again.

[Old Master]

IT was the week from hell which should at last have ended with football back on everyone's lips again.

Sadly, thanks to the alleged actions of two brainless morons, that was never going to be the outcome at the final whistle.

Never mind Kenny Dalglish celebrating his first anniversary back as Liverpool boss with a decisive five-goal victory.

Forget Andy Carroll rediscovering his shooting boots once more with a left-foot rocket just 60 seconds after coming off the bench.

Consider only for a second the fact that Oldham did themselves and League One proud with a display which merited far, far more than the ultimate result.

And do not even spend too long on the most memorable moment of striker Robbie Simpson's life, putting Oldham in front with the sort of goal Roy of the Rovers would struggle to match.

Instead, sadly, sickeningly and horrendously, Liverpool find themselves embroiled in another unwelcome racism storm.

The controversy and outrage of Luis Suarez's eight-game ban is still raging.

Yet today one of the most famous clubs in the world is caught up again in the midst of the most unsavoury of incidents.

It happened towards the end of a third-round clash which looked certain to be all about the pluck and courage of the visitors, who had pushed mighty Liverpool all the way and even had the temerity to take the lead. Fully deserved it was, too.

Young full-back Tom Adeyemi, on loan from Norwich, was walking back into position after a challenge in front of the Kop end when he spun round clearly stunned and shocked.

Some eye-witnesses claim it was a reaction to a vile outpouring of racist abuse from a supporter wearing a Suarez T-shirt similar to the one the players were condemned for sporting as they warmed up at Wigan recently.

Others near the incident insist they did not hear anything of the kind.

Yet while those arguments continued to rage, the one thing certain was that something disgusting had been bellowed from the Kop to garner such a response.

Oldham keeper Alex Cisak was first to console Adeyemi, with other Latics team-mates immediately heading over to do likewise.

Dirk Kuyt and Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard also rushed to calm down the distraught 20-year-old.

Referee Neil Swarbrick had to suspend play for fully three minutes before Adeyemi was in any fit state to continue.

To compound his torture, when he was booked two minutes later for a foul on Gerrard — his mind clearly and naturally on other more serious and important issues — he was booed by huge sections of Anfield totally unaware of exactly what had happened.

For the final 10 minutes of this clash, football, the result and a place in the fourth round of the most famous knockout competition in the world could not have been more irrelevant.

Many fans — those not around the area of the pitch where the incident happened — doubtless headed for home wondering what the delay had been.

Many will have still been talking with excitement about the possibility of seeing Liverpool take their initial steps towards a first Wembley appearance since 1996.

Some will naturally have been buzzing at the fact they had seen the Reds give manager Dalglish the perfect anniversary present, as he celebrated 12 months back in the Anfield hot-seat.

Dalglish himself had admitted beforehand he was simply glad to get the focus switched back to football, after seven days of mud-slinging, claims and counter-claims over the suspension of Suarez following his racial abuse of Patrice Evra. And for 80 minutes it appeared he would get his wish.

Liverpool went 3-1 to the good courtesy of goals from Craig Bellamy — deflecting one in off his stomach — Gerrard from a penalty that he celebrated by kissing the ball and Jonjo Shelvey with a first-timer.

That after Oldham striker Simpson had given 6,000 travelling fans the moment they could not have dreamed of with a 30-yard rocket to put the minnows in front.

Seriously, though, that was of no consequence whatsoever other than for the official records.

By the time Carroll struck a fourth, a minute after coming on as a sub, and Stewart Downing followed that up with his first Liverpool goal, the match action had become totally irrelevant.

Instead of celebrating winning one fight, Liverpool now find themselves stuck fast in another — to re-establish the reputation of this proud and famous club.

They are going to find that one a hell of a lot harder to win than anything on a football field.

DREAM TEAM

STAR MAN — ROBBIE SIMPSON (OLDHAM)

LIVERPOOL: Reina 6, Kelly 7, Carragher 7, Coates 6, Aurelio 6 (Flanagan 6), Gerrard 8, Spearing 6, Maxi 6, Shelvey 6, Bellamy 7 (Downing 6), Kuyt 6 (Carroll 6). Subs not used: Doni, Henderson, Adam, Skrtel.

OLDHAM: Cisak 8, Lee 6, Mvoto 7, Diamond 7, Taylor 7, Adeyemi 7, Wesolowski 7 (Morais 6), Furman 7, Scapuzzi 6 (Parker 6), Robbie Simpson 8 (Smith 6), Kuqi 6. Subs not used: Bouzanis, Black, Tarkowski, Mancini. Booked: Adeyemi.

REF: N Swarbrick 7

[Facts and Stats]

I don't think it's right for any comment here(yet), as the BBC guy is all over Twitter saying nothing racial was said.

[Nice One Cyril]

I don't think it's right for any comment here(yet), as the BBC guy is all over Twitter saying nothing racial was said.

So the Oldham player was upset over absolutely fuck all then?

Why is it always Liverpool?

[Ernie Cooksey]

Merseyside Police have confirmed it was abuse from fans, but not elaborated any further, other than saying no arrests for racial abuse have been made at this stage.

[Ernie Cooksey]

Simpson's cracker:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xnhyum ... 2-hd_sport

[The Kop]

Lol star man in a team that lost 5-1?

[Ernie Cooksey]

and that got subbed! Nice goal though.

[Jimbob]

I can't believe Liverpool haven't played at Wembley since 1996!! That's gotta be a bit embarrassing?

[the fink]

I can't believe Liverpool haven't played at Wembley since 1996!! That's gotta be a bit embarrassing?

it was demolished and cup finals played at millenium cardiff until rebuilt yeah ? cant remember years span tho.

[Facts and Stats]

How many games did UTD win in Cardiff, just asking.....

Jimbob, the Christmas break has done you no favours, you are now an embarrassment as a WUM.

[Jimbob]

Jimbob, the Christmas break has done you no favours, you are now an embarrassment as a WUM.

What does this mean?

[Facts and Stats]

It was quite clear, your posts are embarrassing.

None of your Man Utd fans are even supporting you, it's such drivel and pointless posting they are leaving you to dig your own holes.

[bapa]

Typical scousers...........

[Jimbob]

It was quite clear, your posts are embarrassing.

None of your Man Utd fans are even supporting you, it's such drivel and pointless posting they are leaving you to dig your own holes.

Is still don't understand what that other sentence means. Seriously, can you explain it to me?

[Facts and Stats]

you werent on here over xmas were you, hence xmas break.

WUM = wind up merchant.

[Facts and Stats]

I can't believe Liverpool haven't played at Wembley since 1996!! That's gotta be a bit embarrassing?

LFC have won the CL 5 times in the past 9 seasons they have won the league.
UTD have won the CL 2 time in the past 9 seasons they have won the league

Thats gotta to be more than a bit embarrassing considering UTD have the world's greatest manager ever and LFC have had duds including a fat waiter

[Jimbob]

you werent on here over xmas were you, hence xmas break.

WUM = wind up merchant.

Ah right, to be honest I don't come on here much at all anymore. But I feel so strongly about the Saurez racism storm that I felt compelled to put forward my view on the matter!

[Facts and Stats]

well you have done that, it was read by everyone, laughed at...now you can dissappear again. farewell.....

[Jimbob]

I can't believe Liverpool haven't played at Wembley since 1996!! That's gotta be a bit embarrassing?

LFC have won the CL 5 times in the past 9 seasons they have won the league.
UTD have won the CL 2 time in the past 9 seasons they have won the league

Thats gotta to be more than a bit embarrassing considering UTD have the world's greatest manager ever and LFC have had duds including a fat waiter

I see you're still partaking in your favourite pastime, straw clutching?

[Facts and Stats]

no, as you often remind me and others, I deal in facts, that was just another.

[slowcoach]

Liverpool were embroiled in a fresh racism controversy night, after the Oldham Athletic defender Tom Adeyemi alleged that he was racially abused twice by a supporter during an FA Cup tie at Anfield.

The incident occurred 10 minutes from the end of Liverpool's 5-1 win over the League One side. The 20-year-old Adeyemi, who is on loan from Norwich City, became involved in an altercation with a supporter, or supporters, at the front of the Kop. Before leaving the stadium Adeyemi gave a statement to Merseyside Police in which it is understood he claimed to have been racially abused twice by a supporter.

Adeyemi was visibly upset by the exchange and it required several team-mates, the Liverpool captain, Steven Gerrard, and the referee, Neil Swarbrick, to calm him down. He was booked seconds later for a wild foul on the Liverpool substitute John Flanagan.

Witnesses reported seeing two fans wearing Luis Suárez T-shirts – similar to those worn by Liverpool players at Wigan last month, after the Uruguayan was found guilty of racially abusing Patrice Evra – confronting Adeyemi. A witness who gave evidence to Liverpool officials and the police said: "I was to the right of the Kop and the No11 turned to walk away after a tackle. I heard a single voice shout, 'You fucking black bastard.' He spun round with shock on his face and started pointing at the crowd, from where the shout had come."

Merseyside police said that arrests were made at the game but not in relation to the alleged abuse of Adeyemi. A statement said: "Merseyside police can confirm that no one has been arrested this evening on suspicion of racially aggravated behaviour during tonight's FA Cup fixture at Anfield. However, the force and Liverpool Football Club are investigating following an incident that occurred during the second half of the game. The aim of the investigation is to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident to ascertain if any action needs to be taken."

Liverpool launched an investigation into an incident that could not have come at a worse time for a club that has been widely condemned for its vehement support of Suárez, before and after his eight-match ban for racially abusing Evra in a match last October.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012 ... sfeed=true

[Frendon]

Apparently the fan called him a manc bastard (as he came through uniteds academy i think) but the player thought he said black bastard. This came from someone who was sitting 2 rows behind the fan involved.

[The one and only]

do you blokes have to bring every topic about united or liverpool into a childish argument

[Facts and Stats]

Jimbob does....

[Derek]

Apparently the fan called him a manc sherry (as he came through uniteds academy i think) but the player thought he said black sherry. This came from someone who was sitting 2 rows behind the fan involved.

I love posts like this.

[Facts and Stats]

John Barnes speaks on ESPN

John Barnes spoke out in defence of Liverpool Football Club on Saturday, telling ESPN that the Merseyside club are no more racist than any other in the country.

Liverpool have seen their reputation damaged by the drawn-out Luis Suarez saga, which has seen the Reds defend their player despite a guilty verdict of racial abuse delivered by the FA. Kenny Dalglish and his men have been extremely public in their defence of the Uruguayan, wearing t-shirts to show support, which has drawn widespread criticism.

Compounding the issue is an incident that took place during their FA Cup third round win against Oldham, when Tom Adeyemi was reduced to tears by an alleged moment of racist abuse from a section of the Anfield crowd. A police investigation will now be launched, and while Barnes believes there will prove to have been a racial element to the incident, he insists racism is not only Liverpool's problem.

"I have no doubt that somebody hurled racist abuse at him, and it really hasn't come at a good time for Liverpool. However, I'm not naive enough to think incidents like this don't happen at pitches across the country every Saturday," Barnes told ESPN.

"I for one never believed that racism ever went away. I wouldn't say it happens at Liverpool more than anywhere else. The fact that he heard it means there is an investigation and Liverpool will co-operate fully."

Liverpool confirmed in a statement on Saturday that they will aid the police probe, saying on their official website: "Liverpool Football Club continue to work closely with Merseyside Police to establish all the facts surrounding the incident that occurred during last night's game.

"We take this matter extremely seriously and have today provided the police with the evidence we currently have available to us. This includes CCTV coverage and still photography of what we believe to be the relevant part of the stadium, statements from matchday stewards in that area and full access to all the footage captured by the cameras filming the match for our in-house TV operation."

The general consensus, certainly in parts of the British media, appears to be that Liverpool have failed to react in the right manner by defending Suarez following his clash with Patrice Evra. However, Barnes does not believe his former club have done anything wrong.

"Unfortunately for Liverpool, the perception is that Liverpool are being soft on racism. That is far from the reality," Barnes said. "If you want to talk about the Luis Suarez incident, the perception is that because Liverpool didn't castigate him, they are condoning it. The reality is they firmly believe Suarez is innocent, so while they don't accept the punishment, they don't agree with the verdict.

"They think the verdict was flawed, and they are backing Luis Suarez 100 per cent. Suarez himself feels he's done nothing wrong, in terms of the word he said, he also says there are things he didn't say, the claim that he does not talk to black people he says he 100% did not say.

"Liverpool have to be seen to be backing him if they believe that is the case."

[Nice One Cyril]

And now the tough guy Downing has been accused of beating up an ex girlfriend. Tough times at Anfield, can't be long before KK has his breakdown

[MegaBonus]

why has liverfool apologised for their fans racial abuse but not suarez's????????????


probably because their fan cant score them any goals....

[LFTWNG11]

probably because their fan cant score them any goals....

Niether can Suarez...

[Ernie Cooksey]

I reckon it WAS Suarez!