JAMIE CARRAGHER said he believed football must not allow the Hillsborough disaster to be “brushed under the carpet” as he backed the families of the victims in their ongoing fight for justice.

Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of the tragedy when 96 Liverpool fans died at the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.

Carragher and his team-mates will join the thousands of people paying their respects at the annual memorial service at Anfield.

The Bootle-born defender said the impact of the disaster and the subsequent quest for the truth of what happened that day must not be forgotten outside Merseyside.

He said: “We are always aware of it, but sometimes you think people outside the club seem to forget about Hillsborough and move on. It is as if it seems a lot of it has been brushed under the carpet.

“But people are still fighting for it today.

“My message to the families is to just keep believing and keep fighting for what they believe in.

“No-one will ever forget what happened at the club, certainly not now and they never will.

“We will still always be there supporting the Hillsborough memorial and the families by doing everything as much as we can.”