Although it is admitted that only a small number of fans are responsible for damaging the atmosphere of the stadium, both Manchester City and Liverpool clubs have issued a joint letter to the fans. The chief executives of the two clubs-Manchester City’s Phelan Soriano and Liverpool’s Billy Hogan both signed the joint letter.
The letter read: “We are writing to you today on behalf of Manchester City and Liverpool and we will play at Etihad Stadium later this week.” Like any meeting between our clubs, it will be a wonderful football event and we believe you are all counting down for the game.
When we play at Etihad Stadium or Anfield, the passion and enthusiasm we see from the fans is such a special part of the game between our clubs. We know that the fans are committed to creating a stadium environment where everyone is welcome and accepted, and have a wonderful match day experience.
Unfortunately, according to the results of our club’s recent contacts, we also know that a small number of fans are responsible for our improper behavior in the game.
Therefore, we write to ask for your full support to address these actions and to ensure that the good reputation of our two clubs is preserved. You can help us by reporting any event through the options at the bottom of this email.
We understand that some fans may not be aware of the impact of their actions on other fans, and we will continue to work with fans to carry out this kind of education, both on and off the pitch.
However, it is important for everyone to realize that we are fully committed to dealing with unacceptable behaviour and will take action to impose a ban on those found to be responsible.
We invited the chairmen of our respective fan groups to participate in the discussion and received their full support to help us create the right environment for the game.
If we all stand together and report acts and actions that cause harm-including inappropriate gestures, reading, throwing objects, and any form of discrimination-then we can all focus on supporting our team. ”