AS A “mad” Red of a certain age, I read with sympathy Ron Noon’s letter (October 3) where he spoke of the great work done by Liverpool Unites being undone by young Evertonians chanting “murderers” at Liverpool fans and invoking once again, after nearly a quarter of a century, the tragic events of the Heysel Stadium.
He comments that: “After Heysel, and coming up to the 20th anniversary of Hillsborough, a time when all Scousers, Blue or Red were united in grief, no decent fans ought ever to hear such calumny”.
Like thousands, I started in the Boys Pen in the late 1950s and gradually moved up to the back and closer to the Kop as I grew older and, like Ron, I have a family who are split down the middle in football persuasion.
Importantly, my Old Man was an ardent Blue, who had his second heart “murmur” after being on the Kop for the Cologne game (postponed) in 1965. My son is an equally ardent Evertonian, who welcomed Liverpool FC home in 2005. These events 40 years apart are important, two passionate Blues going to witness “European events” that took them outside the boundaries of their team, but not of their city.
But these two events are also important in terms of dates, for they bisect Heysel ,and it is precisely that loss of “Europeanness” that Evertonians feel deprived of.
That at one crucial moment of their history, when they had a great team, had just won the Cup Winners’ Cup and were, some would argue, about to reach their great moment in Europe, the events at Heysel unfolded and deprived them of everything with the banning of the English clubs.
I have often felt, and I don’t think I am alone, that Liverpool supporters have not apologised enough for those events of 1985. Too much was going on in that decade, too many tragedies, too many setbacks.
On public displays during that time, the Blue half of the city always showed its support, just as the city has come together for Liverpool Unites and Rhys.
Can I just say then, a deep and heartfelt apology to all our Blue friends for what was denied them – a sense of their European dream, in which we, as Reds, take such pride.
If sorry is such a little word, then there, I’ve said it again. Please forgive me and let’s see if we can move on.
Tony Wailey, Wavertree
Small firms taxed
SMALL business could land a £1bn credit crunch bail-out as part of an EU plan masterminded by Gordon Brown, it was announced this week.
He asked the EU to set up a fund to help small business struggling with the worldwide economic meltdown.
Mr Brown said that we need to do more in Britain and Europe to help small business.
What a pity the same Mr Brown has spent the last 10 years bringing in new stealth taxes which have seen many small businesses go to the wall. The small businesses that employ 55% of our workforce. And the same Mr Brown that increased taxes on small business while lowering it for large business.
This may be too little for too many, and far too late. Small business should be at the forefront of any economic policy as they are the centres of many communities and create many jobs for the local residents.
Cllr Terry Jones, Sefton MBC
Hendersons’ blazes
REGARDING Alan Forsyth’s recent query about the fire on Church Street (Daily Post Letters, October 6) this was undoubtedly one of the two fires associated with Hendersons.
The first fire at Hendersons took place on Wednesday, June 22, 1960, and 11 people lost their lives in that incident.
Believe it or not, there was actually a second fire at Hendersons, two months and 26 days afterwards, on the morning of Saturday, September 17.
On this occasion, the blaze broke out on the roof of the temporary Hendersons, which was adjoined to the fire-damaged store, and 300 shoppers were promptly evacuated. The blaze was extinguished by five fire engines, and all this was happening as the inquest into the June blaze was taking place.
In between these two fires at Hendersons, there was another major blaze in the city centre on Monday, July 18, when Waring and Gillow’s upholstery warehouse in Wood Street went up in flames. The building was damaged by the blaze, but saved by 60 firemen, who brought the fire under control within 45 minutes.
Mr William Norwood, a Home Office fire services inspector, had just arrived in the city to supervise fire safety procedures in shops and public buildings, and he was one of the thousands of spectators who had thronged Hanover Street and Wood Street to watch the conflagration.
Tom Slemen, L1
Housing cheats
HOW I sympathise with Sutton Estates (Daily Post, October 7).
Their action, in erecting “rent dodger” signs on the houses of those tenants who don’t pay rent, is a frustrated reaction to Liverpool City Council, who continue to pay housing benefit to tenants rather than directly to landlords. Any fool would have anticipated that some tenants, lacking in any personal sense of responsibility, would spend their housing benefit on other things.
The city council is unable to provide enough rented accommodation of its own and is reliant upon private landlords. How many landlords will pull out if they don’t get paid and who could blame them?
If Liverpool City Council feels it is such a good idea to pay housing benefit directly to tenants, perhaps they should ask central govern- ment to post these same tenants their council tax benefit cheques directly. I suspect that is unlikely, as they will spend it, exactly as they did their housing benefit.
This is a case of central and local government being more concerned about their cash flow than that of private landlords. The outcome will be less rental property available, blacklists and evictions.
Given that these tenants are effectively stealing benefit – or at best claiming it on false pretexts – will the city council take legal action against them for theft? I won't hold my breath!
Les Spencer, Saughall Massie
Worse under Labour
IN TOTAL frustration, I write to you, having just read the article regarding a further 800 job losses in Liverpool at the Royal Mail.
Back in 1997, when the Labour Party were elected to run the country, we all breathed a sigh of relief; at last, we thought the bad old days had gone.
How wrong we were; Liverpool has been treated badly by this Labour Government. Recently, we have seen the announcements of job losses at Remploy, Revenue & Customs and now Royal Mail (sorting office – Copperas Hill).
Add this to the job losses with the closure of our post offices, in the fire service and the refusal to fund our Capital of Culture; I wonder how anyone can perceive that Liverpool is better under Labour.
Jimmy Cook Liverpool 14
Howe for mayor
I THINK Sean Rowlands (“Howe for mayor”, Daily Post Letters, October 7) has hit on a fabulous idea.
Herbert Howe would make an excellent elected mayor.
He would certainly reinvent the grey civic image of the mundane mayor most towns are accustomed to with his outgoing personality.
Everyone loves Herbert and he is one of those rare people who is artistic, business-minded, a natural communicator, and, above all else, a doer – he would get things done.
Herbert, you owe it to yourself and to a city that loves you to run for mayor.
Louise Derbyshire, Allerton
Ideal choice
REGARDING Mr Rowlands’s suggestion to make Herbert Howe a mayor (Daily Post, Letters, October 7), I have always thought Herbert Howe would make an ideal 21st-century elected mayor of Liverpool.
He has the flair and the human touch to take up this post as first citizen of the city.
Herbert encapsulates my definition of a Scouser.
He has followed his heart to make his ambition a success story, he is kind and generous, especially to our older citizens, and instead of fleeing the country with his wealth he has remained in Liverpool and is an asset to the city.
He started at the bottom, and was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. I would love him to be mayor – he’s one of us.
Mrs R Hargreaves, Kensington
He has my vote
I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with Sean Rowlands’s brilliant idea (Daily Post, Letters, October 7) – that Herbert Howe should be made Mayor of Liverpool.
Herbert is a very charitable man and a legend, and I think he would make the most amazing mayor.
I would vote for him and I know of many others who would, too.
Gina Kendal, Sefton Park
A great contrast
SEAN ROWLANDS is absolutely right: Herbert Howe would be a great mayor for Liverpool.
My, how he would shake things up a bit.
What a contrast he would be to the traditional image of the mayor. He would be a true ambassador for the city.
He knows how to make money, that he has shown, but he also knows how to treat people.
H Jones, Aintree
Dark days ahead
SO, WE are to now hope that Super-Gordon and Amazing Alistair have now cooked up the plan that will save us all, although I am really not sure how I feel about the virtual nationalisation of the banking industry.
Whatever happens next, though, there is no getting away from an over-riding fear that there are dark days ahead and things may never quite be the same again.
K Lees, via email
