GORDON TAYLOR HAS issued an apology for any offence caused by his comments Thursday comparing the case of convicted rapist Ched Evans to the Hillsborough disaster.
The Professional Footballers Association chief executive caused outrage by likening the plight of Evans to that of the families of the 1989 tragedy in which 96 people lost their life.
This morning though, Taylor told talkSPORT that he had not intended to cause any offence.
“I was asked about the fact that he maintains his innocence and I said he is entitled to do that, there is a criminal cases review board, and it wouldn’t be the first time that a criminal case conviction has been overturned,” he said.
“At the moment, of course, Hillsborough is still very much on our mind. You can recall the vilification of Liverpool fans by sections of police, MPs, and sections of the media and how much I have admired their battle to establish the truth. And the Ched Evans case, albeit different, is still about his right to maintain his innocence and take it forward.
“There is a campaign that he shouldn’t return to his profession when the rule of law says he is entitled to.
“If any of the Hillsborough family support group are offended, I am extremely sorry for that and I apologise for that, but I hope they understand the point I was trying to make, with the perception of the public and how it is a similar case with Ched Evans, the incidents being different of course.”
However, despite the apology, Taylor went on to again insist that Evans – who was released on licence from prison in October having served half of his five-year sentence – could well be innocent and once again compared his case to Hillsborough.
“I was simply trying to make the point that history shows us that if you tend to believe what is being put out initially that has not always proved to be the case.
“The Hillsborough families have shown that and I have the deepest respect for them and clearly I have no intention whatsoever of causing any upset and I would apologise for that and speak to them on that. I was merely trying to say how things work out.”
