Liverpool FC Forum

[The Manhattan Project]

I sent a complaint.

It's incredible, it really is.

But unsurprising.

[Red @ Heart]

it doesnt work for me,

[crazyhorse]

Nobber!

[anfieldadorer]

numpty kVnt!

[redmikey]

msg sent even though i don't think it will be read out on air

[The Manhattan Project]

The response to Manhattan's complaint:

Thank you for contacting us with your concerns about the reference to Hillsborough during the Sports Panel on the Simon Mayo programme, 9 March. The comment was made by Ian Stafford, an experienced sports writer, and he asked us to pass on this personal statement:

My apologies for this lengthy response, but I feel as strongly about this as those writing in, and shocked that I have not only offended anyone, but that people are making an interpretation which is very far from the truth. Quite clearly the reasons behind my unfortunate comment during the Simon Mayo show needs some explaining as I have upset, understandably, a number of people.

First, and foremost, I want to make it absolutely clear that, however it sounded, my reference concerning Hillsborough as a potential semi-final venue for the Champions League was not, in any way, intended to be a cheap joke at the expense of what happened at the ground during the Liverpool v Nottingham Forest FA Cup semi-final. I was actually at that semi-final having to report on the horrific consequences. At one point I stood in the makeshift morgue, an experience which has never left me.

My explanation is thus: I mentioned the possibility of it being a Liverpool v Man Utd final. Simon Mayo suggested that instead of it being staged in Athens it should be at one of the old-fashioned grounds in England, such as Villa Park. I was thinking purely about old-fashioned cup venues (and nothing else), and blurted out Hillsborough because for many, many years it was the venue for the FA Cup semi-final. About 20 seconds later it dawned on me that it would not be Hillsborough because of what happened there. Another 20 seconds later it struck me that this was a particularly unfortunate comment to make as it was, of course, Liverpool, who suffered so terribly at Hillsborough. I appreciate that people may find it hard to believe or understand that I had not made the link in my head when suggesting Hillsborough as a venue, but that's the problem and the difficulty of doing live radio.

Every so often your mouth engages before your brain does. For those I have offended I must offer my very sincere and genuine apologies, but people must understand it was definitely not an intended joke at the expense of the Hillsborough tragedy, just a thoughtless recall of an old semi-final venue. Let me repeat: I was there, but even if I had not witnessed the scenes for myself, there is no way in the world I would purposefully make such a comment aimed at the expense of all those families who suffered.

Ian Stafford

[daxy1]

The response to Manhattan's complaint:

Thank you for contacting us with your concerns about the reference to Hillsborough during the Sports Panel on the Simon Mayo programme, 9 March. The comment was made by Ian Stafford, an experienced sports writer, and he asked us to pass on this personal statement:

My apologies for this lengthy response, but I feel as strongly about this as those writing in, and shocked that I have not only offended anyone, but that people are making an interpretation which is very far from the truth. Quite clearly the reasons behind my unfortunate comment during the Simon Mayo show needs some explaining as I have upset, understandably, a number of people.

First, and foremost, I want to make it absolutely clear that, however it sounded, my reference concerning Hillsborough as a potential semi-final venue for the Champions League was not, in any way, intended to be a cheap joke at the expense of what happened at the ground during the Liverpool v Nottingham Forest FA Cup semi-final. I was actually at that semi-final having to report on the horrific consequences. At one point I stood in the makeshift morgue, an experience which has never left me.

My explanation is thus: I mentioned the possibility of it being a Liverpool v Man Utd final. Simon Mayo suggested that instead of it being staged in Athens it should be at one of the old-fashioned grounds in England, such as Villa Park. I was thinking purely about old-fashioned cup venues (and nothing else), and blurted out Hillsborough because for many, many years it was the venue for the FA Cup semi-final. About 20 seconds later it dawned on me that it would not be Hillsborough because of what happened there. Another 20 seconds later it struck me that this was a particularly unfortunate comment to make as it was, of course, Liverpool, who suffered so terribly at Hillsborough. I appreciate that people may find it hard to believe or understand that I had not made the link in my head when suggesting Hillsborough as a venue, but that's the problem and the difficulty of doing live radio.

Every so often your mouth engages before your brain does. For those I have offended I must offer my very sincere and genuine apologies, but people must understand it was definitely not an intended joke at the expense of the Hillsborough tragedy, just a thoughtless recall of an old semi-final venue. Let me repeat: I was there, but even if I had not witnessed the scenes for myself, there is no way in the world I would purposefully make such a comment aimed at the expense of all those families who suffered.

Ian Stafford

bollox that! he put the liverpool and manc scum together and the vamdalism on the hillsborough memorial and thought he would be a smart cnunt i would love to get my hands on him the little pr!ck it's sick that!

[Espionage]

What a idiot......

[tubby]

Well hes apologised so theres nothing more we can expect.

[Kharhaz]

Agreed, isnt our whole problem with Ian Mackenzie the fact he hasnt apologised. Theres no denying hes an idiot for saying such a thing but he hasnt hid from the fact he said it and tried to explain in a reasonable way why he said. He apologised, lets leave it at that.

[Red Red Tom]

Reading his statement, I really want to believe him, I like to believe the best about people - BUT I can't.  He says he was there; then he wouldn't have been switched off enough to say something so moronic.  D*ckhead.

[tubby]

Everyone makes mistakes redredtom, its how you learn from them and acknowledge them to the fans that makes a difference.

The comments were hurtful but hes apologised which is more than we can say for McKenzie.

[Red Red Tom]

Yeah, that's true Bav - I just find it hard to accept that he could be that clueless if he was there as he says he was.  Maybe I'm wrong, I hope so.

[CardinalRed]

If Stafford realised within 40 seconds what a mistake he'd made, then why didn't he apologise there and then on the spot?
The bloke's a pr*ck and he's just backtracking now..... Too late w*nker!!!

                                                             

[dutchman]

I think his original comment was just crass beyond belief and then this convaluted sh*te of an explanation - the rest of the panel took less than 1 second to realise what he said was totally inapprorpiate - you can almost hear them cringeing - so if it took him another 39 seconds to figure it out then that just shows what a twonk this guy is. Would have been good for one of the panel to have taken him to task there and then, pity none of them did. Shame Mayo wasn't as quick onto this as he was the other week when we signed Mascherano and he started whingeing about how Liverpool "always manage to by-pass the laws the game" (i.e. over Mascher's transfer situation) and cited how we managed to get the rules for CL qualification changed just 'cos we won it! Him and Stafford probably get on just fine - two w*nkers together.