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      TOPMAN shirt under fire

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      Ribapuru
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      TOPMAN shirt under fire
      Mar 15, 2018 10:57:12 pm
      Topman are coming under pressure to withdraw a shirt some believe refers to the Hillsborough disaster.

      The red shirt with a large number 96 is being seen by some Liverpool fans as a reference to the club's kit and number of victims killed in the 1989 disaster.

      Louise Brookes, whose brother Andrew was killed, and MP for Wirral South Alison McGovern are among those calling for it to be removed from sale.

      Topman are yet to reply but there is no suggestion of a deliberate reference.

      In a tweet, Labour MP Ms McGovern said the shirt was "very unfortunate" and should be "discontinued ASAP".

      Ms Brookes, whose 26-year-old brother died at the stadium, said the phrases "karma" and "what goes around comes around" were used by some rival fans who claimed Hillsborough was "God's punishment" for the Heysel disaster in which 39 mostly-Juventus fans died at a match against Liverpool.

      She also said the red colour, the number 96 and the rose were all symbols she associated with Hillsborough.

      Ms Brookes said: "I really do believe it is something to do with Hillsborough.

      "I would like it removed from sale and I do want (Topman) to explain how this shirt came about and what the thinking was."

      She said whatever the shirt's original message, "people will use it now as a way of antagonising Liverpool fans".

      Ms Brookes said: "Our 96 were decent human beings who did nothing wrong.

      "How would people feel if it was their loved ones being mocked?"

      Some Twitter users have expressed their "disgust" and called for a boycott.

      One user, @elbellaboo, said: "The fact that it has provoked thought towards the Hillsborough tragedy is enough of a reason not to sell the product."

      Others called it "disgraceful", "in poor taste" and "offensive".

      But others have said the shirt is nothing to do with Hillsborough and actually references a Bob Marley song.

      Several said Topman would not deliberately put a top out mocking Hillsborough.

      Also on Twitter, Chris Hurst said: "Do you honestly think a company as big as Topman would make such a jumper about Hillsborough, there was a Bob Marley song with that title released in 96, it's nothing more than a unfortunate coincidence."

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-43424172

      Thoughts?
      « Last Edit: Mar 16, 2018 11:00:12 am by JD »
      FATKOPITE10
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      Re: What are peoples opinions on the TOPMAN shirt causing anger amongst reds?
      Reply #1: Mar 15, 2018 11:51:28 pm
      People saying it relates to a bob marley song
      Ribapuru
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      Re: What are peoples opinions on the TOPMAN shirt causing anger amongst reds?
      Reply #2: Mar 16, 2018 12:26:03 am
      I'm not sure everytime something is red with the number 96 on it, it is meant in connection to Hillsborough. 96 is a number and red is a colour, neither can be copywrited, even if it were connected, wearing it could be showing support. I don't understand why some people thought Topman were mocking the LFC fans and I doubt a fashion brand would do that, so I'm personally thinking it's the politically correct bregade who try to make outrage about everything. TOPMAN have not really said anything bad I don't think.
      HUYTON RED
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      Re: What are peoples opinions on the TOPMAN shirt causing anger amongst reds?
      Reply #3: Mar 16, 2018 12:41:33 am
      Karma is a clothing brand apparently and Bob Marley did a song called what goes around comes around so it's possible that it's entirely innocent but then you google karma clothing and see that it's a Manchester firm. I think it’s some c**t trying to be clever knowing they have a ready made excuse if it comes on top. The song isn't exactly one of Bob Marley's iconic songs that you would commemorate the year it was released is it?

      G-Star did a pair of jeans with the number 96 on one of the back pockets which a lot of the mancs away support started wearing for a while, especially when they played at Anfield, until a few of theirs wearing them got filled in around Stanley Park.

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      Re: What are peoples opinions on the TOPMAN shirt causing anger amongst reds?
      Reply #4: Mar 16, 2018 12:46:09 am
      Surely if anything it would bring more awareness to the 96, not antagonise, as the article says.

      It’s hardly a picture of something being done to the 96, like pissing against it, cross through it etc.

      If there is such fuss about this then the number 96, in red wouldn’t be allowed on anything.

      Some people just have to always look for something that isn’t there and unfortunately like the attention. It’s a t-shirt that just happens to have the number for crying out loud, I can’t see Topman going out their way to do something disrespectful to The 96.
      billythered
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      Re: What are peoples opinions on the TOPMAN shirt causing anger amongst reds?
      Reply #5: Mar 16, 2018 06:01:35 am
      Karma is a clothing brand apparently and Bob Marley did a song called what goes around comes around so it's possible that it's entirely innocent but then you google karma clothing and see that it's a Manchester firm. I think it’s some c**t trying to be clever knowing they have a ready made excuse if it comes on top. The song isn't exactly one of Bob Marley's iconic songs that you would commemorate the year it was released is it?

      G-Star did a pair of jeans with the number 96 on one of the back pockets which a lot of the mancs away support started wearing for a while, especially when they played at Anfield, until a few of theirs wearing them got filled in around Stanley Park.





      In a nutshell for me this,...

      Any reference to Hillsborough whether intentional or not has already had a affect,

      My solution woukd be to change the number, say to 94 or 97 whatever, like HR said the Bob Marley song wasn't exactly sung from the rooftops was it ?

      When you look at it , its a bit sinister and too much of a coincidence, not to have a reference to the '96'.


      YNWA
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      Re: What are peoples opinions on the TOPMAN shirt causing anger amongst reds?
      Reply #6: Mar 16, 2018 08:14:55 am
      I think it’s crassly insensitive at best and the subject of some warped c**t’s imagination at worst.

      Very, very poor for me and I struggle to buy the notion it got through every filter to the shelf without someone asking a question.
      « Last Edit: Mar 16, 2018 09:10:05 am by Scotia »
      shabbadoo
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      Re: What are peoples opinions on the TOPMAN shirt causing anger amongst reds?
      Reply #7: Mar 16, 2018 09:07:57 am
      I think it’s crassly insensitive at best and the subject of some warped c**t’s imagination at best.

      Very, very poor for me and I struggle to buy the notion it got through every filter to the shelf without someone asking a question.


      Agreed mate, no doubt the designer, manufacturer & retailer would know what it relates too..

      I think it's poor taste,poor judgment & disrespectful..& should be removed immideitatly by the Arcadia Group who own TopMan..
      chats
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      Re: What are peoples opinions on the TOPMAN shirt causing anger amongst reds?
      Reply #8: Mar 16, 2018 09:13:11 am
      It's more baffling than anything to be honest, like how the F**k did someone at some point not pick up how it could have been interpreted?
      HScRed1
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      Re: What are peoples opinions on the TOPMAN shirt causing anger amongst reds?
      Reply #9: Mar 16, 2018 09:55:32 am
      Unfortunate coincidence or not it's still deeply offensive and should be removed.

      No doubt the lure of opposition fans flocking to buy them knocked the sense right out of these marketing idiots.
      HScRed1
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      Re: What are peoples opinions on the TOPMAN shirt causing anger amongst reds?
      Reply #10: Mar 16, 2018 10:02:42 am
      Looks like they have seen sense and withdrawn the shirt.
      RedPuppy
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      Re: What are peoples opinions on the TOPMAN shirt causing anger amongst reds?
      Reply #11: Mar 16, 2018 10:26:38 am
      Too many coincidences for me.

      Why Red?, why not Red, Gold & Green? or the Jamaican flag?

      Why is the 96 so big? to commemorate the year it was released... Nar.
      JD
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      Re: TOPMAN shirt under fire
      Reply #12: Mar 16, 2018 11:04:02 am
      Quite obviously somebody trying to be a smart arse.

      Not surprised to hear the company behind the design was located in Manchester either.

      They've had their PR.  Move on.
      5timesacharm
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      Re: TOPMAN shirt under fire
      Reply #13: Mar 16, 2018 11:11:51 am
      This is - or was - the shirt.



      Whatever the truth, it's now been withdrawn.
      fields of anny rd
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      Re: TOPMAN shirt under fire
      Reply #14: Mar 16, 2018 01:01:17 pm
      Quite obviously somebody trying to be a smart arse.

      Not surprised to hear the company behind the design was located in Manchester either.

      They've had their PR.  Move on.

      Yep too many coincidences. Rightly withdrawn but topman is hipster sh*te anyway.
      Robby The Z
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      Re: TOPMAN shirt under fire
      Reply #15: Mar 16, 2018 01:25:41 pm
      But that song, a someone noted, is hardly one of Marley's iconic numbers. And even if you knew it, you would be hard-pressed to recall the year it came out - just as you would be hard pressed to think that the year of release was such a prominent thing about the song that it would be dominant on the shirt.

      If people talk about the Sgt. Pepper album, they don't make a big deal about it being in 1967, even if you might be more likely to know that record's release date.

      To me, even without the benefit of English or British cultural background, it really seems to me on a bit of examination that whoever designed this knew EXACTLY what they were doing and that is beyond depraved.
      Jimsouse67
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      Re: What are peoples opinions on the TOPMAN shirt causing anger amongst reds?
      Reply #16: Mar 16, 2018 01:55:43 pm
      Too many coincidences for me.

      Why Red?, why not Red, Gold & Green? or the Jamaican flag?

      Why is the 96 so big? to commemorate the year it was released... Nar.
      Bang on the money that,Deffo bollocks that shirt ,a big F**k off 96 on the back!! & in red !!!  I'm sorry  but when the majority of people see that number then most would Rightly associate it with Hillsborough unless you've been living under a rock ,& TBh I love my music and as old as I'm at 50 I've never F***ing heard of that bob Marley song ,just a piss poor excuse to justify the design of the shirt & rightly withdrawn the callous and incesitive tw*ts.
      Boston not la
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      Re: TOPMAN shirt under fire
      Reply #17: Mar 16, 2018 01:56:42 pm
      I guess the number is the only thing that would throw up a flag for me, could be just totally clueless fashion designer, 96,69,18,88,those 4 off the top of my head can mean something to some or just be numbers to others."Karma what goes around" is a thing.Anyways withdrawn,ugly as F**k shirt though.
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      Re: TOPMAN shirt under fire
      Reply #18: Mar 16, 2018 01:58:14 pm
      Saw this one the news just earlier. Unfortunate coincidence my arse. Who the f**k releases a shirt with a number relating to year of the re release of the song which just happens to be accompanied by lyrics to a song from Bob Marley? And we're supposed to accept their pathetic PR line of apology? You've seriously got to wonder about the morals of the c**t who designed that for them.
      AlwaysTheKop
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      Re: TOPMAN shirt under fire
      Reply #19: Mar 16, 2018 02:02:01 pm
      Ignoring the possible Hillsborough link, who the F**k sanctioned that ugly fecking thing to go on sale!? It’s atrocious... and looks like it’s using one of the most common fonts on PC, Comic Sans, that’s just laziness... you could make better at a corner printing shop  :lmao:
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      Re: TOPMAN shirt under fire
      Reply #20: Mar 16, 2018 02:13:56 pm
      Ignoring the possible Hillsborough link, who the f**k sanctioned that ugly fecking thing to go on sale!? It’s atrocious... and looks like it’s using one of the most common fonts on PC, Comic Sans, that’s just laziness... you could make better at a corner printing shop  :lmao:

      It really is pug ugly isn't it - laughably bad. The sad Manc c**t who 'designed' it probably grew up in a household where his family flung sh*t at each other.
      HUYTON RED
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      Re: TOPMAN shirt under fire
      Reply #21: Mar 16, 2018 03:00:04 pm
      But that song, a someone noted, is hardly one of Marley's iconic numbers. And even if you knew it, you would be hard-pressed to recall the year it came out - just as you would be hard pressed to think that the year of release was such a prominent thing about the song that it would be dominant on the shirt.

      If people talk about the Sgt. Pepper album, they don't make a big deal about it being in 1967, even if you might be more likely to know that record's release date.

      To me, even without the benefit of English or British cultural background, it really seems to me on a bit of examination that whoever designed this knew EXACTLY what they were doing and that is beyond depraved.

      And to add before this pile of sh*te was withdrawn, did anyone notice what the release date for them was - April 15th I sh*t you not!!

      Far too many F***ing coincidences.
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      Re: TOPMAN shirt under fire
      Reply #22: Mar 16, 2018 03:45:03 pm
      This is - or was - the shirt.



      Whatever the truth, it's now been withdrawn.

      I hadn’t actually seen the shirt, I assumed it was just a plain top with a 96 on the front of it. Certainly doesn’t look good, having now seen the actual thing.

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