'World hears the real truth' says Liverpool chairman Tom Werner

The damning Hillsborough Independent Panel report revealed a cover-up took place to shift the blame on to the victims and that 41 of the 96 lives lost at Sheffield Wednesday's stadium on April 15, 1989, could have been saved (GETTY IMAGES)

Liverpool chairman Tom Werner today said “the world has heard the real truth” about the Hillsborough disaster.

The publication of the Hillsborough Independent Panel's report revealed South Yorkshire Police had sought to blame fans by instructing officers to change or amend their statements relating to the events of April 15, 1989, when 96 fans died.

Prime Minister David Cameron apologised to the families of those affected, stressing to the House of Commons that the findings had shown fans were not at fault.

Werner said: "On behalf of myself, John (Henry, club owner) and everyone at the club, I would like to extend our thoughts and prayers on this hugely significant and deeply emotional day to everyone affected by the Hillsborough disaster.

"Today the world has heard the real truth about what happened at Hillsborough.

"As a football club, we will continue to remember those who died and support the families who lost loved ones on that terrible day.

"We hope that today's findings will give some comfort to the families and survivors and go some way to addressing some of the key questions that have hung over the Hillsborough tragedy for the last 23 years."

The club also welcomed the publication of the panel's findings.

A statement on the club's website read: "Liverpool commends the Hillsborough Independent Panel report which acknowledges the avoidable catastrophic failures before, during and after the disaster.

"The club also welcomes the Prime Minister's apology to the families and survivors on behalf of the Government and await the Attorney General's pending review of the report.

"After 23 long and painful years, our fans have finally been fully exonerated of all blame.

"Today, the world knows what we have always known, that Liverpool fans were not just innocent on that terrible day but that there was reprehensible and hurtful misrepresentation of the truth.

"Liverpool Football Club would like to thank the Hillsborough Independent Panel for its rigorous work over the past two-and-a-half years and for publishing a comprehensive report based on the in-depth research and analysis into hundreds of thousands of documents."

PA