Some might remember a few years back when Chelsea travelled to Paris to play PSG in the Champions League and for the media and certain interested parties the result was of little consequence.
No, the biggest story of that day was how some "White English Racist Football Thugs" had allegedly prevented a black bloke from getting on a Metro train, I think we even had a thread about it, with some posters giving their holier than thou views.
The media had a field day, social media exploded as the usual suspects came out in force to tell us how all white people are racist and in fact being a football supporter to boot was like signing the racist register. The black guy got far more than his allocated 15 minutes of fame as the interested parties kept putting the boot in, I can't remember for exactly how long but it was news, for well over a week I think.
Videos appeared on Youtube and mainstream media were wetting themselves, they couldn't decide whether to major on the football thug side or the racist side, of course the racist side won out - far more mass appeal.
It ended like all good things do, with the black guy being offered to be treated like a king for a few weeks and ten thousand euro's the richer, the massed might of two national police forces had some faces, which got banned by Chelsea and got them suspended prison sentences, Job done. Two birds killed with one stone, it was a win win for the msm and the screaming twitterverse.
Fast forward to Tuesday night just gone. Liverpool v Roma. Sean Cox a 53 year old from the Irish Republic having a quiet drink in a pub by the ground with a couple of friends before kick off. Nice man, travelled to see his heroes play.
He now lays in a hospital bed in a critical condition after an unprovoked attack by Italian fans left him with severe head injuries and others with wounds needing hospital treatment.
Two Italian fans, a 20 & 29 year old have been arrested and charged with attempted murder. It wasn't the only incident, Roma fans were kicking off in and around the ground before the game with a 38-year-old from Italy arrested on suspicion of affray and possession of an offensive weapon, a 28-year-old man from Italy arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon, a 28-year-old man from Italy arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and throwing items inside Anfield.
Where is the HUE & CRY? where is the condemnation of filthy Italian fans? where is the media and twitterverse circus? - a few nationals carried a column, some added it to their match report and maybe, though I didn't see any myself it got a few seconds on a TV news programme, though once it was discovered it wasn't English fans fault and there was no racist angle to attach to it (though that should be debateable), it died a lonely death. Lets just hope that isn't the case for the poor bloke fighting for his life.
