Liverpool FC bans The Sun from Anfield over Hillsborough coverage

Liverpool fans hold banners in protest against the Sun newspaper and show support for the 96 fans who died in the Hillsborough disaster. Photo/Getty Images

Liverpool Football Club has banned The Sun newspaper from its premises, and stopped reporters from attending matches and press conferences over its coverage of the 1989 HIllsborough disaster.

The decision was taken by the Merseyside club yesterday and enforced for the first time today. The Sun was informed it could not head to Melwood for coach Jürgen Klopp's weekly press conference.

Reporters from the newspaper will not be granted access to Saturday's Premier League fixture with Tottenham Hotspur or any future games at Anfield.

It follows a year-long consultation with the Hillsborough Family Support Group, after last year's fresh inquests ruled 96 Liverpool fans were unlawfully killed.

In the aftermath of the inquest verdict, the families approached Liverpool, requesting a more thorough boycott, triggering extended negotiations as the club established the legality of enforcing a ban.

Discussions with the Englist Premier League were required in order to permit Liverpool to take this action.

The Sun has been the subject of a boycott on Merseyside since 1989, following its disreputable coverage of the Hillsborough disaster. However, until now, the restrictive access was limited solely to exclusive interviews rather than open media events.

Previously, reporters have attended Anfield games and been allowed to attend press conferences alongside broadcast and print media.

The Sun's role in assisting a cover-up by South Yorkshire Police was documented during the fresh inquests and the false allegations printed under its most notorious headline "The Truth" four days after the disaster prompted renewed calls for an outright ban.

Liverpool is making no comment, beyond confirming their new policy.

In a statement, a Sun spokesperson said: "The Sun and Liverpool FC have had a solid working relationship for the 28 years since the Hillsborough tragedy. Banning journalists from a club is bad for fans and bad for football. The Sun can reassure readers this won't affect our full football coverage.

"The Sun deeply regrets its reporting of the tragic events at Hillsborough and understands the damage caused by those reports is still felt by many in the city. A new generation of journalists on the paper congratulates the families on the hard-fought victory they have achieved through the inquest.

"It is to their credit that the truth has emerged and whilst we can't undo the damage done, we would like to further a dialogue with the city and to show that the paper has respect for the people of Liverpool."