Don’t be afraid of the dark

It was meant to be remembered for other reasons.  My friend Ben hadn’t been to his beloved Anfield for over 20 years, whilst it was my first time in the famous stadium.  Maybe - just maybe - Oldham’s underdogs would cause a famous upset.  Could this be a night of which FA Cup dreams are made? 

Travelling north we talked a bit about politics, the long-overdue Stephen Lawrence convictions, Diane Abbott’s ill-advised comments.  But mainly we luxuriated in footy chat:  could Liverpool survive with Suarez banned for racist abuse? might plucky Oldham spring a surprise?  most pressingly, would they let us bring our own crisps into the ground?

It didn’t disappoint.  Our snacks passed unconfiscated.  And on the half hour the unthinkable:  Oldham fired home a magnificent strike.  I yelled and punched the air – but only in my head, as I was in the middle of the Liverpool end (all visitor tickets sold within hours).  Latics fans were even beating the stunned home supporters on banter, chorusing ‘Where’s your famous atmosphere?’ to usually chirpy scousers.

But it didn’t last.  Liverpool were strong, even without their talisman Suarez.  Led by the impressive Steven Gerrard they were back on level terms in minutes, and went on the score four more (all flukey offside deflections). 

I must say it was a moving experience – the crowd clearly worshipped ‘King’ Kenny Dalglish, chorused ‘you’ll never walk alone’ with every scarf unfurled, and ended with a moving rendition of ‘stand up for the 96’, in memory of those killed in the Hillsborough disaster.

Yet this match will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.  Just ten minutes from the end, Oldham defender Tom Adeyemi raced towards the Kop end, pointing angrily.  The game was stopped for several minutes, and it took players from both sides to eventually calm him.

What had happened?  Maybe someone threw a coin?  Was is something someone said?  In the media buzz afterwards it transpires Adeyemi complained of being racially abused by one or more fans.  Apparently they were wearing Luis Suarez shirts. Police are investigating.  Oh dear.

The taxi driver returning us to the station was angry.  “This is a decent club, a family club.  This is the last thing we need. Suarez was bad enough, but this - what were they thinking?”.

But is this really a surprise, given the terrible example the club set to their own fans? 

Presented with irrefutable proof of Suarez repeated racial abuse of Evra, Liverpool failed to come clean.  Instead they shamefully squirmed, trying to defend the indefensible, refusing to criticise the clear wrong their star player had done. 

Their defence that the word ‘negro’ may sometimes be used affectionately in south America may be strictly-speaking true.  After all, I was referred to as mzugu (white man) when working and travelling in East Africa, and it felt like a (rather obvious) statement of fact, not abuse.  Friends even called my Rwanadan colleague mzungu after he saved enough money to build a house fit for a rich whitey!  Cambodia was the same:  constantly being called barraing (Frenchy) was a little irritating - wasn’t there anything more important by which to define me (the kind volunteer? the potato eater? the crazy cyclist? the super footballer?), but I never felt abused.

But Suarez’s defence was a pathetically disingenuous smokescreen.  The fact that it was used seven times during a heated argument, including the phrase "no hablo con los negros" (I don’t talk to blacks), shows this was simply ugly, racist abuse.

I can’t say I’m surprised – Suarez may be a great talent, but his history of bad behaviour is a matter of record.  I was particularly sickened by his unashamed cheating during the World Cup, and very dubious as to whether he should be forgiven and given a fresh chance to impress in the Premiership.

Now I’m a safe distance from Merseyside, I have to say that I think Kenny Dalglish got this very wrong. Perhaps he can’t be blamed for taking a chance on signing a flawed genius.  But a true leader would have ensured Suarez understood and quickly admitted his wrongdoing, and made a proper apology.  Failing this, he should have sacked Suarez:  he may be his best player, but no player is bigger than the club. 

Sure, Kenny was badly advised – but he was also weak and unprincipled, unusual and disappointing in such a great player and manager.

The ultimate irony was to hear fans from Oldham – place of my birth, and scene of some of Britain’s most recent and shameful race riots – chanting to Liverpool ‘you’re just a club full of racists’.

They’re not – but they need to do a much better job of showing it.