Gareth Roberts is joined by James McKenna, Paul Cope and Neil Docking to talk about Liverpool’s boycott of The S*n. Have lines become blurred? Is the focus in the right place? Is anger directed at the right people and organisations?
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Do S*n reporters get access to LFC press conferences?
Yes.
Hmmmm…..that’s not great really is it.
Wow, another excellent show. Brilliant.
I think this needed saying. Don’t get me wrong I try as hard as I can to make sure none of my money ends up in Murdochs pocket but that’s because I don’t like the effect he has on British politics and what his influence has helped turn the once great and impartial BBC into. But, I was livid last week when I saw the comment about Andy’s interview with Jake Humphrey’s. I then saw it spread to Twitter and I was gutted I couldn’t see the comments of one of the replies (locked account) because I suspected they’d be shit stirring through jealousy because they think football is about how many aerial duals were won or how many interceptions made or how many times the players ball bag jiggled up and down during a match. It’s not the way I watch football. I wanted to get involved I was seething so much but in the end I thought, I can’t be arsed. I’ve no time for it.
If I’m being honest, I think some of the views being put out there recently on social media are more about affiliation than integrity or morality. It’s like, look at how anti Sun I am. Again, don’t get me wrong, I’ve always felt a real sense of pride about how the boycott has stayed strong and agree with it wholeheartedly. I just feel (as the show rightly said) that the boundaries are becoming blurred and it’s having a detrimental effect. Jay’s right, people are looking at Scousers saying listen to them going on again. Were it just the paper then I think people’s respect for Scousers integrity and defiance would be enhanced whether they agree with the boycott or not. Having a thought police mentality backed up by mob rule doesn’t.
I still get angry by some of the people comments of people who were involved in the cover up over Hillsborough. It’s the utter contempt they feel towards us. My natural instinct is to fight or oppose those people. I take no pleasure though, in seeing an nice person make an honest mistake or an error of judgement and getting crucified None whatsoever. So, yeah, I feel it’s becoming a badge for people to hang their colours on. I’m uneasy with it.
You have to make a stand, Boycotting the Sun must go on forever and everything Mckenzie touches must also be boycotted. The MSM and Political establishment colluded on this and continue to do so. Thank God for the internet, we get the truth. Well done, TAW.
I don’t usually comment, but I thought the latest ‘Back Page’ was absolutely superb. Jay (and I’m not always his biggest fan) and Robbo in particular were excellent, but everyone talked so much sense. I really wish everyone thought and spoke with such sense about life in general, as the world would be a much more tolerant, sensible place! Well done all.
An excellent and important piece this. Perhaps I’m being so complimentary as I practically agree with all the points made. Appreciate the depth of the discussion. Think a show of this nature should be made publicly available to reach a wide an audience as possible. Well done!
I agree that making this publicly available would be a good move. There’s a few people I’d like to forward it on to.
A fantastic episode, thank you!
I agree that people’s energy should be pointed in the right direction, I will never buy the sun for two reasons, the first is obvious – the lies they printed about me and my family (LFC supporters) the second reason is the same reason I do not buy the mirror, the mail and any other paper that earns money from lying and fooling the easily fooled. I won’t open a Facebook post if it is by the Sun – because I know it will be click bait bullshit! I like the training kit but will not buy it because it has betvictor on it – not because they were affiliated with the sun, because I do not agree with betting companies influencing young fans.
Keep up the fight but make sure it’s the right one
Thanks lads this really was a good one.
As a red from down south (all family originally from Liverpool) do you think FB,Twitter etc has helped with the boycott ? I used to regularly see people in Lfc tops reading the s*n & even know people who read it that just don’t seem to get it.
Can I just add that kelvin Mackenzie is the biggest prick going
Wonderful piece guys and I thoroughly agree. There is too much indignation at every slight link with Murdoch and I’ve argued before that we Liverpool fans are a mobilised group now always looking for the next cause. That’s not meant as an insult, but it does explain why some take it to another level.
The S*n is the target and should remain so as far as I’m concerned. If someone eats a bag of walkers crisps or watches Sky, that does not mean they are dishonouring the memories of those who died.
Good points about other papers as well. The fact remains that most of these papers are utter trash who will stop at nothing to destroy people if it means it will sell them more copies (that includes the Mail, Express etc). But the boycott is not about this. It’s about one incident that affected the lives of thousands on merseyside and beyond.
Great show lads.
My take on Twitter – You shouldn’t be allowed to post on it unless you use your real identity.
Sensitively handled as ever lads. Respect to you. Great show.
JFT96
Nice one, Robbo et al. Really good!
I think, to an extent, we all proudly find identity through exhibiting strong opinions. People will do it through choice of music- it’s tribalism I suppose. eg. Someone decides they hate Coldplay, so they have to hate every Coldplay song, cos they have gaffer taped their flag to the mast.
I think people may just over-apply or over-extend their support of the boycott of that red-top rag. Like you said, everyone is entitled to ‘vote with their feet’ based on their own personal politics, but as soon as they start aggressively pushing their agenda onto their fellow LFC supporters, they themselves start to resemble propagandist headline writers.
The positive thing to celebrate is the common ground we share; that as a city (Red, Blue & Neither) and as a fanbase, we almost universally disregard The S#n. We ignore it. We are above it. You rightly point out that some have unfairly overapplied our enduring boycott. We are above that too and can tackle it with the kind of rational, non-fume analysis you gave us on this excellent pod.
Nice one lads.
Check out Billy Bragg’s ‘The Scousers Never Buy The S#n.’
Fantastic chat about the boycott. As a younger listener who wasn’t around at the time gives a great insight into the reason behind the boycott and why it got passed down from my dad. Brilliant lads once again!
I live in Cumbria I have been a Liverpool fans for 32 years going to many games. I have read watched many programmes on Hillsborough. I know what I need to know, and know DON’T BUY THE SUN, anything after that I leave alone.
This piece has been a bit of a band-aid for the gaping wound of last nights election for this heartsick American. Decent people in an intelligent, researched, reasonable conversation gives me hope. Thank-you.
agreed
The S*n boycott was a case of convergence for me. Growing up in Ireland during the troubles, and seeing the coverage that this rag gave to certain events and individuals meant that I, and a lot of people like me, were boycotting it a long time before Hillsborough and the awful headline occurred. It’s toxic anti-Irish bias, it’s lies, it’s modus operandi meant that when we saw the hatchet job it had done on Hillsborough, we did not bat an eyelid, we had seen it all before, we knew what was being done. There has always been a little too much of the Irish in Liverpool people for some sections of the British establishment we thought. And this rag had positioned itself as carefully as it could at the centre of the right-wing, anti-immigration, racist, xenophobic, pro-war, pro-establishment heart of post imperial Britain. I hate the fucking thing with a passion, but I did so before the headline as well.
It sickens me to see its sister paper the Irish S*n sponsor GAA events up and down the length of Ireland. “GAA. WE LOVE IT.” No you fucking don’t, piss off.
ferd
Two more things.
Gareth Roberts has grown into a great host, he’s funny, warm, easy going and very natural. It wasn’t that comfortable to him when he started but fair play, he’s deffo one of my favourite hosts
Jay supplies the vinegar, well in mate :)
Decent lineup lads, well hosted and a lot of sense talked…very much enjoyed it
Excellent show this. Thanks for doing it.
Great show with some great points; we haven’t learned the lessons of what they did and in fact some parts of society have got worse.
Episodes like this are why I love this site, it reinforces why football is not just a game.