PFA boss Gordon Taylor criticised for making reference to Hillsborough tragedy while discussing Ched Evans case
Friday 9 January 2015 08:08, UK
Professional Footballers’ Association boss Gordon Taylor has found himself at the centre of controversy after appearing to compare the situation regarding Ched Evans to the Hillsborough tragedy.
Forner Sheffield United forward Evans has been released after serving a jail sentence for rape and is looking for a club to play for but talks with Oldham came to an end on Thursday after threats were reportedly made to staff at the League One club.
An appeal against Evans’ conviction was rejected by three judges at the Court of Appeal in 2012 and the case is currently being considered by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
And, when discussing Evans’ attempts to clear his name in a radio interview on Thursday, Taylor mentioned the Hillsborough tragedy, in which 96 Liverpool fans died at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
Taylor said: "He wouldn't be the first person or persons to have been found guilty and maintain their innocence and then be proved right.
"If we're talking about things in football, we know what was alleged to have happened at Hillsborough and it's now unravelling and we're finding it was very different to how it was portrayed at the time, indeed by the police at the time."
Families of the victims fought a long legal battle after the disaster and, in 2012, the Hillsborough Independent Panel issued a report in which they concluded that no Liverpool fans had been responsible for the deaths and that attempts had been made to cover up the true facts.
And Taylor’s remarks have been criticised as crass on social media, with some posts calling on him to leave his position.
Sky Sports News HQ has asked the PFA to clarify Taylor's comments about Hillsborough and are awaiting their response.
