Very sad news today with the shooting of the 11 year old lad in liverpool thoughts are with his family and friends !
from bluekipper via Raotl: From his Uncle "Just to clear up any misunderstanding, this child had no possible need to be involved in gang culture, as he had a loving family, and unlimited access to his first and greatest love, which was to kick a football, at which I might add he was very good. He lived for the game, and was a fervent blue. I have just come away from Bereavement suite B at Alder Hey where I saw my nephew looking for all the world as if he was asleep. The only clue as to his real state being the blood around his neck and face which nobody had seen fit to remove to ease the stress on his distraught parents. His parents are hard working respectable people, for whom the world is crying out. I know there will be those who in a situation like this will say that there is more to the thing than meets the eye, but let me assure you that in this case there isn't. When I was a kid, I was able to chase a football around until I knew it was time to return home, and sometimes beyond. When kids are engaged in an activity no more threatening, or anti social than playing the game they love, they should be able to do so in safety. There have always been attendant dangers to childhood, but in my view, getting shot should not be one of them. Just so you lot on here are aware, sometimes life reaches out and touches you in a way that seems incomprehensible, and as you get older you will I am sure share the pain that my brother, his wife, and the rest of the family are experiencing. I only hope that you can deal with it as men instead of year 10s. I know this forum isn't the most appropriate place to spill this, but some of the comments (the minority, I am pleased to say) have forced me to clear things up. So to sum up....LOVELY KID.......GOOD FAMILY....HORRIBLE TRAGEDY..WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME. There you have it. Thanks to all who have expressed normal reactions to this incident, I appreciate it. For those that have some doubt, I hope this clears things up.................Oh and any information gratefully received, but would prefer you speak to the Liverpool Constabulary. Thank you fellow Evertonians for your messages of sympathy, they are very much apprciated. I hope you understand why I am still up at this late hour, and why I chose to move earlier with my post about my nephew. As the days pass you will, as more details emerge, understand the depth of the tragedy, as the media fails to find anything to pillory either his parents or himself. Rhys was a devoted blue, and a corking little footballer who deserved to grow up as the happy little corinthian he was, a kid who loved football so much that he could think of little else.........and his team............ Everton. Once again I urge any of you who can assist in the apprehension of the absolute vermin responsible to contact the Merseyside Police by whatever means is available to you. Let's do something for the good guys eh?"
R.I.P - send our condolences to his family and friends at this tragic time Hope who done this gets life for what they have done to the innocent chap
Really sad uneccesary death of a young lad. R.I.P. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/live...-to-pay-tribute-to-rhys-jones-64375-19695034/ Liverpool players to wear black armbands and observe a min silence at anfield on Tues . Also talk of a banner of respect and/or playin of z cars. Glad to hear that!!
The Observer covered this tragedy brilliantly yesterday. Everybody that knows the city of Liverpool should read it. It summed up exactly what is wrong with the world and that theres no quick fix to the problem (possibly no fix at all). Im not sure if you'll get the coverage online but its definitely worth looking up. On a side issue I believe the club is to play Evertons adopted anthem Z-Cars tomorrow before the game. I really do think this is taking things too far. A minutes silence or applause is all that is needed. There wont be a person in the ground that isnt distraught at what happened to the boy but playing this song is not going to do us any favors. I personally believe the club always has to be seen doing that extra bit during tragedies and the city as a whole has this "self pity" tag attached to it. Children from all over England are killed on a monthly basis and you dont get the same reaction from rival clubs in whatever place these terrible things happen as you do in Liverpool. Its not as if Liverpool and Everton have a good relationship,we dont and its getting worse year on year. When the 2 teams play next all of what has happened in the last week will be forgotten by the majority of fans and Everton will be back singing "Murderers" and what not at us. Just give the boy the minutes silence he deserves and hope that it might make just one young person think twice about being in a gang.
Rivalries forgotten as fans unite to remember Rhys Jones Aug 25 2008 by Richard Down, Liverpool Daily Post WELL-WISHERS travelled from across the North West to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with the parents of murdered youngster Rhys Jones yesterday. Walk For Rhys is one of three events that have been organised 12 months on from the tragic death of the young Everton fan, and part of the Daily Post-backed Liverpool Unites against gun crime. Concert For Rhys and Run For Rhys, on September 14, are helping to raise thousands of pounds for the Rhys Jones Memorial Fund which will build a community centre in memory of the youngster. But yesterday was simply a show of unity and support for his family. Melanie Jones, Rhys’s mother, gave a touching tribute to the mass of walkers. She said: “Stephen, Rhys’s father, and I are totally overwhelmed by this continued support from the public. It is great that this walk is encompassing both Everton and Liverpool grounds, uniting the city.” Children and families clad in the red and blue of the city’s two clubs joined hands as they made their way together from St George’s Plateau to Anfield and Goodison Park. At Goodison, fans observed a minute’s silence before the Z Cars Johnny Todd theme was played. Liverpool fans Mick and Lisa Hegarty drove to Liverpool from Preston with their two sons Connor, 12, and Jake, 10, to show their support for the Jones family. Mrs Hegarty said: “If we parents don’t get out on things like this and teach our children about what’s right, then how are they to know? “My mother lives round the corner from where it happened and it really could have happened to anyone, anywhere, so I hope this walk will help.” Close by, Everton supporters Sian and Andrew Cassy, of Colwyn Bay, walked with Evie, 3. Mr Cassy said: “We just want to show the family it’s not been forgotten. It beggars belief that it happened, and I don’t think it’s asking too much to take a couple of hours to do a walk for them.” Event organiser Steven Galloway said the walk showed a determination never to let the tragedy be repeated. Former players Ronnie Goodlass, of Everton, and Howard Gale, of Liverpool, were among the walkers, and both spoke of the need to never forget. Mr Goodlass paid tribute to the unity of fans in red and blue who had come together in the wake of the death. richarddown
The post above ^ by D-Red says 'Rivalries forgotten as fans unite' It is great to see that this is still the case. ---------------------------------------------------------------- A UNIQUE superlambanana has been designed to raise money for the Rhys Jones Memorial Fund. Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Cllr Steve Rotheram, commissioned an artist to paint a superlambanana with both Liverpool and Everton FC logos to raise money for the charity. The lambie’s combined football motif is now being completed and it will either be sold to the highest bidder or raffled across the city in the summer. The Lord Mayor announced the fundraising plan before more than 300 guests who assembled for his gala dinner at St George’s Hall on Saturday night. He said the lamb with its split design would raise much needed funds towards building a new community centre in Croxteth in the schoolboy’s memory. Cllr Rotheram, said: “I wanted to do something that was a bit different to raise money for the Rhys Jones Memorial Fund and came up with the idea of using the superlambanana. “We bought one of the last ever superlambananas, a plain one that had been created for last year’s trail but was never painted and never used. “I really hope it raises a lot of money. I think the sky’s the limit, really, because this is something that everyone is going to want to own.†The Rhys Jones Memorial Fund was set up after the 11-year-old was shot dead on his way home from football practice on August 22, 2007. It has the full backing of his mum and dad Melanie and Stephen. They hope the fund will raise enough money to build a new centre, which will provide a safe place for children and young people to meet and will also include modern sports facilities, such as an all-weather football pitch. The ECHO’s charity Liverpool Unites was also launched in the wake of Rhys' murder and raised £100,000 for his memorial fund through a concert at the ECHO Arena and a 5km fun run. Liverpool Unites continues to support the fund alongside its work for young people.
Fernando Torres shows support for future Rhys Jones Community Centre Several footballers from Liverpool’s first team showed their support to the Rhys Jones Memorial Fund which hopes to raise £1.5 million to build a Community Centre in Croxteth, a borough of Liverpool. Stephen Jones, together with Rhys’ former football coach and family friend Steve Geoghegan were met at Melwood by Fernando Torres and Gerrard, together with Jamie Carragher and Lucas Leiva. Fernando Torres spoke of his desire to support the project for the future Rhys Jones Community Centre. “We have to lend our support to ideas like this. It’s something we must collaborate with. We are viewed as role models, and we want to call upon the help of fans and the people of Liverpool to support this worthwhile project.†The Rhys Jones Memorial Fund, which was set up in the wake of the murder of 11-year-old Rhys Jones, is halfway through raising the money and the next event will be the Sporting Heroes Live Event, a charity sporting dinner. The new centre which will be built in Croxteth would include an all-weather synthetic sports facility, gymnasium and an indoor centre for arts and community activities.