Response to Mayor Anderson
Spirit of Shankly are angered by comments made by Liverpool City Mayor, Joe Anderson.
The Mayor has chosen to speak out on a hypothetical matter, namechecking Liverpool FC supporters without discussion with those fans or fan groups.
There is no evidence to support the Mayor’s perception that Liverpool supporters will break any lockdown regulations and gather outside of Anfield should football be resumed and played behind closed doors.
LFC, in their statement on the matter, refer to their engagement with supporters’ groups.
SOS raised this issue with the club, back on 13 March, ten days before lockdown began. We agreed then a determination to respect social-distancing measures and, in the event of a resumption of football, we would continue to work together, along with other key stakeholders, in achieving this objective.
Rather than disparaging words about football fans, it would have been more beneficial for the City Mayor to acknowledge the work being done by those same people in easing pressures on the city’s old and vulnerable at this time. SOS alone up to now have delivered more than 1,000 food parcels, and are active partners in helping with the supply of PPE and @SFoodbanks
We ask the Mayor to retract his statement and work with fans to support all during this time of crisis.
Other news
French press reaction to SOS Senate hearing
French press react to SOS evidence at the Senate English fans recount Stade de France incidents before the Senate By Clément Martel, Le Monde. At a Senate hearing, fans' representatives – in particular from Liverpool, gave their account of the Champions League organisational debacle and called for the resignation of Gérald Darmanin. They were the first to be affected; they were the last to be heard. Representatives of the supporters who were present at the Champions League final on Saturday 28 May, and who are used to being in the stands, swapped the stadiums for the [...]
SOS at French Senate Hearing
SOS Give Evidence Today, Tuesday 21 June, the Spirit of Shankly chair Joe Blott and Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association chair Ted Morris will travel to Paris to give evidence in front of the French Senate Law and Culture committee. Since the Champions League final on 28 May, representatives from the French authorities have been giving their version of events at the Stade de France. Now, finally, our voices will be heard. Last week we were informed there was to be no testament from fans. But in tandem with Football Supporters Europe, SOS lobbied for the right [...]
Shankly’s Spirit Lives On
Spirit of Shankly Cup The inaugural Spirit of Shankly Cup finally took place on Saturday 11 June. Two years later than originally planned, due to the pandemic, it was worth the wait. Eight Under-13 teams from Liverpool and East Ayrshire played for the title at The Barony Campus in Cumnock. Crosshouse Boys Club, Cumnock Juniors, Stewarton Annick and Townhead Thistle pulled on their boots to represent East Ayrshire against Liverpool's Dynamo Childwall, Kingsthorne Warriors, Parkview Colts and South Liverpool. The tournament was split, Champions league style, into two groups of four, with teams playing three [...]
