This is a shocking story, and not one we thought we’d ever have to write about a Liverpool fa at Anfield – especially following a charity match, for goodness sake.
But sadly, here it is. The club is taking the strongest possible action possible towards Stephen Gallagher, a 37-year-old Northern Irish Liverpool fan (we’re going to italicise that word, as he doesn’t deserve it next to his name) racially abused a 5-year-old who’d kicked his seat.
You read that right. Galllagher delivered a torrid of racist abuse at the Legends Match v Milan Glorie on Sunday, after a youngster in the row behind banged into his chair.
Gallagher was arrested and appeared at Sefton Magistrates Court yesterday, pleading guilty to a ‘charge of racially aggravated threatening or abusive behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress.’
A Liverpool statement read: “We condemn in the strongest possible terms the racist abuse that a family was subjected to during Saturday’s legends match against Milan Glorie.
“The individual responsible has received a criminal conviction and will also be subject to the club’s sanctions process. Anyone found guilty of such an offence will be subject to a lifetime stadium ban, regardless of the classification of fixture.”
The Echo report that Gallagher included the disgusting phrase, ‘p*** b******,’ during his outburst.
The father of the victim, Amir Malik, said he couldn’t believe what had happened:
“This was my son’s first Liverpool game. I have been subject to racist abuse in the past but my children have not.
“I felt it is disgusting that a grown man would act in such a way in complete disregard as to the presence of children and their young age.”
We hope Gallagher is never allowed to step inside Anfield again. He’s embarrassed himself, the club and ruined what’s supposed to be a special day for a young kid. Idiot.