This notice is for any Liverpool supporter in North America or Worldwide:
OFFICIAL BOYCOTT NOTICE BY NORTH AMERICAN LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB BRANCHES OF:
Jack The Lad
Press Display
PSG Sports
Ruffneck Wear
Sporting Glory
The Fix by author Declan Hill
VIP Communications
We are asking for your support in the boycotting of the advertisers of Mr. Steven Cohen and his shows. Those being World Soccer Daily on Sirius Satellite and Fox Football Fone-in on the Fox Soccer Channel.
You are probably aware that this action is being taken due to the recent remarks by Mr. Cohen concerning the Hillsborough tragedy whereby Mr. Cohen has stated unequivocally that Liverpool supporters should "share responsibility" for the deaths of the 96.
Mr. Cohen was asked to give authoritative support for his claims or apologize and share with his listeners the facts. Mr. Cohen has done neither and is adamant about his "opinion".
Therefore we are asking for this extraordinary action from you our supporters. It is your choice to assist us in this matter.
We would also like for you not to email or call Mr. Cohen or his shows. Any interaction with Mr. Cohen he will use as an indication that the boycott is ineffective.
These advertisers have already responded and we would like you to offer your support for their actions:
Fado's Irish Pubswww.fadoirishpub.comFourFourTwo ( Haymarket publishing)
North American subscription website is
www.themagazineshop.com.
Once you have chosen FourFourTwo from the magazine selection, there is a promo box and if you input the code mls91, you can get up to 50% off at the moment.
World Soccer Shop ( 365-inc. )
www.worldsoccershop.comWho Are Ya Designs.www.whoareyadesigns.comFurther, we believe Setanta will not accept any more advertising from World Soccer Daily once the current contract expires.
We will update the list of advertisers as necessary.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter,
North American Liverpool Football Club Branches
Email sent to Mr. Cohen and his advertisers 5/5/09:
Official Notice Of Boycott by North American Liverpool Supporter Branches
Dear Advertisers:
Previously you were notified of a potential boycott by Liverpool supporters in North America. We are now ready to make this an official position. We will be notifying our members through the branches and through multiple supporter websites of this action including the official LiverpoolFC website.
We have given Mr. Cohen ample time to review the facts presented to him or for him to present his documentable evidence which supports his position as requested. Mr. Cohen and I have exchanged emails for the past 9 days. They have been civil. However, he has stated we have nothing further to discuss.
He has not presented any evidence to support his position.
You are probably wondering what has led to this action:
History:
On December 5th 2006 on the Fox Football Fone-in television show, Mr Cohen made these remarks:
" Liverpool supporters are directly responsible for causing the two worst disasters in English football history, Heysel and Hillsborough". That "there is a disgusting side of Liverpools history that he would be happy to talk about."
He was also quoted on his Sirius radio show of making the comment; " They have five stars on their shirts but should have 39 coffins."
These comments and others caused outrage by Liverpool supporters and many emails were sent to Fox Soccer Channel and Sirius Satellite Radio. The facts concerning the disasters were sent to offset these outrageous claims.
One week later on December 12th 2006 on Fox Football Fone-in television show, Mr Cohen opened the show with this:
" But first, last week here on Fox Football Fone-in, in the heat of the moment, I made some very disparaging remarks about Liverpool Football Club and their supporters. I know that i'm a passionate Chelsea fan and it takes up almost all of my waking hours . I also know that when i'm wound up over comments against Chelsea, like many fans, I resort to insults that can be very hurt full. As a broadcast professional I should know better and not let it get to this stage. I've apologized on my radio show World Soccer Daily and i've also apologized to the management here at Fox Soccer Channel. But most importantly I wish to apologize to all our viewers."
At that point in time most supporters were satisfied that our concerns over his comments of laying blame to Liverpool supporters allowed him to reflect on his "opinion" and he had realized his error due to the facts presented to him.
History Part 2:
April 15, 2009 was the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster where 96 Liverpool supporters were crushed to death.
Mr. Cohen once again took the opportunity to lay a claim of "some responsibility" of blame should be shared by Liverpool supporters due to ticketless fans getting into the stadium. He originally claimed 6-8,000 ticketless fans got in. Which was then revised to "2-3,000 or 25 or 1, it makes no difference."
I have presented various facts to Mr. Cohen. You can judge for yourself.
SWFC ( Sheffield Wednesday Football Club) Hillsborough stadium turnstiles recorded the number of admissions and in addition they had installed cameras which were used to count any fans climbing over the turnstiles. Their stats show the ticket allocation was not exceeded.
The health and safety executive reviewed electronic counters and cctv footage of the turnstiles and counted each person, who came in thru the turnstiles, climbed over the wall and came in thru gate c etc, they too showed that the allocation of tickets was not exceeded.
see 8.1 conclusions. health and safety report on hillsborough in the Taylor report.
" my best estimate of the number of people admitted thru turnstiles a-g and thru gate c is 9734. It is my opinion that the true total is most unlikely to have exceeded 10'124 i.e The total number of admissions were approximately equal to the designated capacity of 10'100 people for the west( leppings lane) terraces." As reported to the independent inquiry by the South Yorkshire Health and Safety Officer.
They were still admitting fans to the stadium as late as 3:10 as cctv evidence shows. The crush had already happened.
If you put the majority of 9734 people into an area not designed for it, as the side pens were virtually empty, that is what caused the problem. Further LFC had over 10,000 tickets for that end.
If you research the situation, you too will come to the same conclusion. The numbers don't add up for ticketless fans to be a reason for the crush, if any got in anyway. The total allocation wasn't admitted before the crush happened.
Further if any ticketless fans did get in, they along with ticketed fans were directed by the police into an overcrowding pen down a tunnel and not into the virtually open side pens. So any blame attached to ticketless fans dissipates because of the police involvement in directing supporters into the main pen. And as the total Liverpool allocation hadn't even been admitted into the ground before the crush happens this also disproves the assertion that any ticketless fans who did sneak in means Liverpool supporters themselves should share some of the blame. His assertion may only have weight if all ticketed fans made it in before kickoff and the ticketless fans--added to the problem. Which is what clearly did not happen.
In conclusion it makes no difference if any ticketless fans got in anyway because capacity was not met. There was still room for 390 more supporters to enter to make capacity. Mr. Cohen refuse to believe the official investigations reporting of the incident.
Which leaves us with the unsavory analysis of Mr. Cohen's remarks that it is the fans themselves who packed the stands who should share the blame for the crush. So in essence he is laying the "shared responsibility" blame on those 9638 supporters who survived the crush for the deaths of the 96 who did not come home that day. Some of those survivors or their family members now reside in North America. That is his damning indictment of our supporters and one which is unfounded, hurtful and as far as we are concerned is a blatant outright lie.
His previous apology apparently is hollow. So we have chosen to take additional steps as a course of action because the truth and facts are not being disseminated on his show. There is only one opinion allowed and frequently put forth on his show, which is accusing Liverpool supporters of "shared responsibility". Not for going to a football match and following the stadium management and police directions as they did do. Along with the supporters being exonerated by any investigation into the tragedy. There was no action on the supporters part entering the stadium or in the pens themselves which was questioned by any research done of the tragedy.
There is no Freedom of Speech issue here. As Mr. Cohen is free to make any remarks or comments on the show he likes. Of course those that are hurtful and as damning as his remarks have been means that there are consequences that we will now exercise as an apology is not forthcoming along with the truth and facts of the tragedy being disseminated on his show(s).
So we will ask official members, other Liverpool supporters in North America and those Worldwide who have access to any product or service advertised on his show to boycott those products or services. We will have our branches notify their members of this action.
As mentioned previously we will also remind our supporters in August when the season resumes and will update them on those advertisers who support an individual who is allowed to make accusations with no documentary facts as outrageous and damning as those of Mr. Cohen.
We hope you understand our actions have nothing specific to do with your product or service. We would appreciate your support on this issue.
We want to thank those companies who have already taken action due to reviewing the facts and coming to a similar conclusion:
FourFourTwo
365-inc.
Fado's
Lastly we would like to thank New England Revolution Manager Stevie Nicol who was a player for Liverpool at Hiillsborough that day who has notified Mr. Cohen that he will have no more to do with any of his shows.
Sincerely,
Mel ( Last name)
Acting Representative
North American Branches
Liverpool Football Club
CC:
Steven Cohen
Sirius
Fox Soccer Channel
North American Branches
Liverpool Football Club
