TV presenter Eamonn Holmes has apologised after he was accused of comparing the attack on Manchester United’s team bus to the Hillsborough disaster.
The coach carrying the Reds' players was attacked and damaged by fans throwing missiles as it made its way to United’s match at West Ham last night, the last ever at Upton Park.
Talking over images of the trouble on Sky News, Northern Irishman Mr Holmes, a lifelong United fan, said: “This is going back to the 70s and to the 80s, the type of thing you were seeing that was bad about Hillsborough, for instance.”
A total of 96 Liverpool fans died in a fatal crush at the stadium in 1989 with inquests earlier this month ruling they were unlawfully killed after a 27 fight for justice by the bereaved families.
Watch: United team coach pelted with bottles
It also found fans in no way contributed to the disaster and there was an outpouring of anger on Twitter from viewers over his comments.
Twitter user H K Fooey told him: “Just heard you equate the bus riot last night to Hillsborough. Very poor analogy. Have you forgotten the inquests already?”
Whilst Peter Rice said: “Apologise now for your Hillsborough comment re WHU incident.”
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Alan Carter wrote: “Hillsborough had nothing to do with hooliganism, stop associating last night with this tragedy.”
Whilst Mikey Stones posted a video clip of the comments and said: “Why after 27 years of proving it, have you just compared what happened at Hillsborough to hooliganism?”
However today Mr Holmes, 56, flatly denied he was in any way comparing last night’s disorder with the disaster at the FA Cup semi-final two decades ago.
In a series tweets he said: “Just being made aware of someone trying to use me to stir up trouble re The Hillsborough disaster. How low, how disgusting.
“The Hillsborough families have suffered enough without distasteful sniping like this.
“For the record there is no comparison between events last night at West Ham and Hillsborough.
“On the programme I was trying to talk about images we never ever want to see again.
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“If anyone concluded anything different my humblest and most honest apologies.
“I am a huge supporter of the Hillsborough struggle for justice.
“Last night’s events do not remotely register in comparison.
“I am an honest and decent football supporter and man and would never seek to create such an offence.
“Obviously there is no comparison between Hillsborough and the scenes at West Ham last night.
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“Those who are trying to do so are very wrong.
“I apologise unreservedly if anyone thought I was making that connection.”
The Metropolitan Police say no arrests were made over the attack on the United coach but say they will be reviewing CCTV footage in order to identify culprits.
