Liverpool FC respond after Hillsborough shirt blunder at club store > Liverpool News > News

Liverpool have responded swiftly after shirts referencing the Hillsborough disaster were mistakenly advertised in an official club store.

Ninety six fans were killed on the Leppings Lane terrace at Sheffield Wednesday's ground before the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest - the darkest day in Anfield's history.

Supporters visiting the club's Williamson Square branch on Friday were astonished and angered to see pre-printed replica home shirts with 'Justice 96' on shelves next to ones bearing the names of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard being sold for £54 each.

Unofficial messageboards were bombarded by fans who felt that Liverpool were insensitively cashing in on the memory of the 96 deceased supporters and the chant which recognises the ongoing battle for the truth of how those 96 who died on 15 April 1989 to be fully exposed.

Ian Pankhurst said: "Whilst the club shouldn't stop supporters requesting these shirts - if people think the back of a shirt is appropriate media for displaying a justice message, then fair enough.

"What the club shouldn't have done was actively market them. In isolation, it looked like a hideous lack of judgement. A donation to the three Hillsborough groups would be a positive step."

The pre-printed shirts have since been removed and a club spokesman has insisted that supporters were still free to request any name and number printing on the back of shirts from official stores.

He said: "Shirts are sold blank and fans can ask for any lettering and numbers to be put on them, within reason.

"A large number of supporters have asked for 'Justice 96' on the back of their shirts in previous years and LFC is happy to provide fans with the same lettering on the new shirts."