An open letter to Jeremy Clifford, Editor of the Sheffield Star

Dear Mr Clifford,

On a day when other organisations were apologising for their actions before, during and after the Hillsborough Tragedy, the lack of any apology from the Sheffield Star is conspicuous by its absence.

The Sun Newspaper have apologised unreservedly for their reporting of the Hillsborough tragedy and described it as "the blackest day in this newspaper's history". However late and hollow this apology is I am saddened and disappointed to see that the Sheffield Star has made no reference to its own reporting of the tragedy.

Under the front page headline "Fans in Drunken Attacks on Police: Ticketless thugs staged crush to gain entry" your newspaper reported the allegations of the police which have now been entirely discredited. Yet the Sheffield Star has chosen to make no reference to this in the days following the publication of the Hillsborough Independent Panel Report.

Although the Sheffield Star's reporting may have been made with a "lesser degree of certainty" to that of the Sun’s, the fact remains that these lies were printed on the front page, under a headline which forced these untruths firmly into the public eye.

The Hillsborough Independent Panel found no evidence to support the story that your newspaper ran on the 18th April 1989 and yet your organisation has done nothing to distance itself or apologise for reporting these lies.

It is almost beyond belief that in May 2012 you saw fit publish an apology to “Sheffield United Football Club, its fans and people who were upset by this” for an advert placed in your newspaper by Sheffield Wednesday supporters mocking Sheffield United’s inability to gain promotion, and yet you have chosen to ignore the hurt and upset that you caused the families and friends of the 96 dead, and the people of Liverpool, by your reporting of the despicable lies surrounding the events of this day.

Many Sheffield organisations have come under the spotlight as a result of the publication of the Hillsborough Independent Panel Report, and most have had the dignity and grace to apologise for the part that they played in the disaster. Today your organisation should feel ashamed that you have not sought to do the same.


M Cox
Sheffield

The Sheffield Star 18/04/1989;
http://hillsborough.independent.gov....0000030001.pdf





 

Thank you sir!

The local shitrag played it's part aswell , and thank you for the reminder . A fine letter it is .

Well in sheffieldcoxy!

Fantastic letter, and great support. Liverpool Football Club  and all of its fans should salute this kind of support.

Thank you sheffieldcoxy for your support,it is appreciated.

Thank you sheffieldcoxy for your help. It's good to know that the concern and sympathy throughout humanity and football spreads far beyond ourselves.

Thanks again, very much appreciated.

Many thanks sheffieldcoxy for your support, the conduct of the rag is outrageous moreso when you consider it was probably on of the primary accusers, absolutely atrocious behaviour from those dark days of 1989 to the present.

Thanks!

 

Nice work mate, loving the unity.

Something that shouldn't be forgotten is the way the ordinary, working class people of Sheffield opened up their doors to our fans that day.

Something that shouldn't be forgotten is the way the ordinary, working class people of Sheffield opened up their doors to our fans that day.

The kindness and humanity of the people of Sheffield on highlights what utter monsters the politicians and their police cohorts were with their vile responses to the tragedy.

Something that shouldn't be forgotten is the way the ordinary, working class people of Sheffield opened up their doors to our fans that day.

That's the difference between the common man and the establishment,we give a F**k.

Jeremy Clifford has written to inform me that a letter of apology will be printed in tomorrows Liverpool Echo.

Jft96

Jeremy Clifford has written to inform me that a letter of apology will be printed in tomorrows Liverpool Echo.

Jft96

Great work mate

Yeah well done fella!

Well done and thanks for supporting the cause. 

Jeremy Clifford has written to inform me that a letter of apology will be printed in tomorrows Liverpool Echo.

Jft96

Nice one sc.

This is the open letter of apology printed in today's Sheffield Star;

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k46/mattcox_2006/A5FEBDF1-1A4B-414B-93B9-5EE7A1F3D011-1497-00000106D73A5170.jpg

Does anybody know if it was printed in the Echo? If not I hope it will appear sometime this week.

Just reported on BBC Look North as well.

This is the open letter of apology printed in today's Sheffield Star;

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k46/mattcox_2006/A5FEBDF1-1A4B-414B-93B9-5EE7A1F3D011-1497-00000106D73A5170.jpg


Does anybody know if it was printed in the Echo? If not I hope it will appear sometime this week.

Bottom of the page, hidden away.