Apology for football Twitter post
The aide to a Welsh Assembly Government minister has apologised for a Twitter posting insulting fans of Liverpool FC.
David Taylor said he had no idea his comments could be connected to the Hillsborough tragedy 20 years ago this week, when 96 Liverpool fans died.
He wrote "You'll never walk again" after declaring that he "hated Liverpool" more than Chelsea.
The aide to deputy regeneration minister Leighton Andrews said he was "mortified" at the effect.
Mr Taylor made his comments last week on Twitter during the Champions League quarter-final as Liverpool were defeated at home by Chelsea.
As they played, Mr Taylor, a Manchester United fan, posted the musing: "Who do I hate most - Chelsea or Liverpool?". Then: "Liverpool, obviously".
He then wrote: "You'll never walk again".
The term is the title of a chant, believed to pre-date the Hillsborough tragedy, which plays on words of the Liverpool terrace anthem, You'll Never Walk Alone.
But it came only a week before the 20th anniversary of 96 supporters being crushed to death at the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest in Sheffield.
When issuing his apology, Mr Taylor said he was unaware of any connotations.
He said: "I had no idea it was anything to do with Hillsborough. I'm absolutely mortified. Obviously I apologise. I had no idea that the chant had reference to that at all.
'Football banter'
"Maybe I'm negligent or whatever. I'm really sorry if I caused any offence. It's totally unintentional, I just would not have written something like that if I knew.
"I was watching the Champions League game in the pub with a load of Liverpool fans and it was just some banter."
Mr Taylor later removed the comments from Twitter.
He wrote that he saw the comments "simply as run-of-the-mill football banter" and had been "completely unaware" that they could be seen as anything other than that.
Mr Taylor said if any relatives were offended he apologised "in full and without reserve".
His apology was issued on aneuringlyndwr.com, a political website registered to him.
Last month the website drew complaints after hosted a video depicting Wales' Tory leader as a vampire and Plaid Cymru's in a clown hat.
First Minister Rhodri Morgan has distanced himself from the video.
Mr Morgan said that, as leader of Labour in Wales, he would expect those who were involved with the video to "live and learn".
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