Liverpool FC pleads with opposition fans to stop 'vile' chants around Hillsborough

Liverpool FC has pleaded with opposition fans to stop "vile chants" after they were heard during the team's goalless draw with Chelsea.

Part of the crowd at Stamford Bridge could be heard directing taunts against visiting supporters during the second half relating to the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.

Chelsea has since condemned the offensive chanting, saying it has "no place in football".

There were also chants directed at former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, in who was part of Sky Sports' broadcast team, relating to an incident in 2018 where was filmed spitting at a passing car.

In a tweet pleading for the chants to stop, Liverpool said: "We know the impact these vile chants have on those who continue to suffer as a result of football tragedies. For their sake, this has to stop."

Chelsea said in a statement: "Chelsea FC condemns the inappropriate chants heard from some home fans during this evening's game.

"Hateful chanting has no place in football and we apologise to anyone who has been offended by them."

A Premier League statement added: "The Premier League condemns the tragedy chanting heard at tonight's match between Chelsea and Liverpool.

"We continue to treat this as an unacceptable issue and are seeking to address it as a priority."

It follows an apology by Manchester City whose fans were also heard chanting about the Hillsborough disaster during its Premier League game against Liverpool in 1 April.

In a statement on their website, City also condemned actions that saw Liverpool’s team bus sustain some damage, describing the incident as “unacceptable”.

A club statement read: “Manchester City FC has been made aware that Liverpool FC’s coach sustained damage on its return journey following today’s game.

“We understand an object was thrown towards the coach in a residential area.

“Incidents of this kind are totally unacceptable, and we strongly condemn the actions of the individual(s) responsible.

“We will fully support Greater Manchester Police’s investigation into this incident in any way we can.

“Additionally, the Club is disappointed to have heard inappropriate chants from home fans during the game today.

“We regret any offence these chants may have caused and will continue to work with supporter groups and officials from both clubs to eradicate hateful chanting from this fixture.”

Ninety seven Liverpool supporters were unlawfully killed, amid a catalogue of failings, at a 1989 FA Cup semi-final between the Reds and Nottingham Forest.

The families of victims of the Hillsborough disaster have previously called for the chants mocking the tragedy to be stamped out.

In recent months, football fans have been caught singing chants including, "The Sun was right" - a direct taunt to Reds fans about a discredited tabloid article about the disaster.

Speaking after those chants were heard in November, Liverpool fan Charlotte Hennessy, who was six when her father James Hennessy was killed in the tragedy, said "enough is enough".

She says away fans of all teams, including her own, need to stop chants about disasters.

"These are grown adults that think it's OK to mock death regardless of the tragedy, whether it's Hillsborough at Munich, Heysel, any tragedy," she said.

"It's not funny. It's not banter.

"People aren't taken into consideration that when you are chanting, you're not taking into any account the mental trauma that survivors and family members have."

The Football Association (FA) has also expressed concern over the rise in offensive chanting - and is supporting efforts to stamp out incidents.

MP and Hillsborough survivor Ian Bryne, and the families of victims, have called on the Premier League to take action against the chants, which have become a “weekly occurrence” at games involving Liverpool.

Chants and songs have also been heard across grounds where Manchester United are playing about the Munich air disaster.

23 people were killed, including eight of the Busby Babes, when their plane crashed on 6 February 1958.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Manchester United counterpart Erik ten Hag joined forces in March to call for an end to chants about the tragedies.

The pleas regarding chants and online abuse about events such as Munich, Heysel and Hillsborough were made in a joint statement issued by the clubs, with Klopp urging fans to "keep the passion and lose the poison".

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