The Sun journalists will be allowed into Liverpool and Everton matches in Europe next season

Uefa will allow football writers from The Sun to attend matches in Europe next season

Downfall: the former editor’s Ross Barkley outrage energised opposition to the red-top in Liverpool that dates back to the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 (Getty)

Journalists from The Sun will be allowed to attend European games at Liverpool and Everton next season despite their ban from Anfield and Goodison Park.

Uefa are responsible for matchday accreditation for the media for both the Champions League and the Europa League, and The Independent has learned that they will approve any accreditation requests from writers at The Sun for matches.

Liverpool banned journalists from The Sun earlier this season after holding talks with the Hillsborough Family Support Group, following their coverage of the Hillsborough disaster in which 96 people died.

The Sun ran a story on the Hillsborough disaster on 19 April 1989, four days after 96 people were unlawfully killed during a fan crush at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough Stadium ahead of an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest, with the headline ‘“The Truth”, in which it carried accusations from an anonymous South Yorkshire policeman that Liverpool supporters had "picked pockets of victims", "urinated on brave cops" and that some beat up a policeman giving the "kiss of life".

Everton followed suit earlier this month and banned journalists from The Sun following a controversial article by their columnist, Kelvin McKenzie. McKenzie was The Sun’s editor when the Hillsborough story was published in 1989, and while he has apologised for the false accusations that were published, he remains a hated figure in Merseyside.

McKenzie called Everton midfielder Ross Barkley a “gorilla”, unaware that his grandfather is from Nigeria, and the backlash to the piece – which also attacked the people of Liverpool in general – led to Everton implementing a ban on the newspaper.

Both Chester and Tranmere Rovers have also banned writers from The Sun.

However, due to the fact that Uefa decide matchday accreditations for both the Champions League and Europa League, football writers from The Sun will be allowed to attended matches next season, with both clubs currently on course to qualify for continental competition.

The news will anger both Liverpool and Everton fans who applauded the ban when it was implemented, but Uefa believe it would be unfair to ban journalists from one publication.

The Football Writers’ Association has also contacted both clubs to urge them to reconsider their bans, which sees the sport writers “unfairly punished” for something that was written by a news journalist.

“The Football Writers’ Association is concerned by the recent bans imposed on The Sun by Liverpool FC and Everton FC.

“While the FWA understands the upset caused by the presence and views of columnist Kelvin MacKenzie, the organisation feels that its members, the football journalists, are being unfairly punished for actions which have nothing to do with them.


 The Sun's immediate coverage of the disaster was heavily criticised (Getty)
 (Getty Images)

“The FWA has always believed in the fundamental principle that all of its members have a right to carry out their jobs and should not be banned because of the actions of others.

“Following discussions at National Committee level, we believe the clubs should reconsider these bans and work with the FWA and Premier League to resolve the situation.”