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QPR say sorry over offensive message on stadium’s main screen about Luton fan

QPR say sorry over an offensive message which appeared on the stadium’s main screen about a Luton Town fan who was attacked.

The message was about 53 year old Brian Rourke, a Hatters fan, who had been found with a serious head injury following his team’s defeat to Queens Park Rangers in November 2021.

At Thursday’s meeting between the two sides, a message appeared which had included a derogatory term for someone who had a brain injury.

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QPR said it was “investigating” who was responsible for submitting the for thousands to see during the Championship game as the away side won 3-0.

Brian Rourke was critically injured and placed on life support after the incident in west London in November 2021.

A month after, his wife, Vee Rourke, said he was no longer on a life support machine but would end up needing extensive rehabilitation, saying her husband was going to need to learn to walk and talk again.

“We’re going to have Brian back. It’s going to be a long road but we will get there,” she said.

Jack Ellicott, 27, from Edgware, north London, was charged with causing grievous bodily harm in 2022 and is expected to stand trial at Isleworth Crown Court on the 18th of September.

“The team who operate the big screen were not aware of the true identity of the individual in the message,” a QPR spokesman said.

“The message was submitted under the guise of a QPR supporter’s uncle who had been seriously injured in an accident.

“We receive hundreds of messages and photos throughout the season and incidents such as this can be very difficult to identify.”

They have since written and send an email to supporters asking for help identifying the person who submitted the message, as well as an individual who filmed the message being displayed with laughter in the background.

QPR’s chief executive Lee Hoos said: “On behalf of the club, I would like to apologise unreservedly to all who were understandably upset by the posting of the message, in particular Brian Rourke and his family.

“If we are successful in identifying the individual concerned, they will face a lifetime ban from Loftus Road.

“As a club we are also exploring safeguarding measures to try and ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

Tis is what Twitter users said as QPR say sorry over the offensive message on the stadium’s main screen about the Luton fan…

@mutleyltfc: Desperately poor all round from QPR. How can their media team claim not to know about a possible connection to this event? It beggars belief as it’s been well publicised since it happened.

@cbHatternew: Good work to all involved in taking action.

@BramhallHatter: Thank you and well done.

@paulltfc: Terrible – this poor guy just went to a game and a complete coward hits him from behind whilst police do nothing. This is somehow funny to these subhumans who were singing about it at our place now this. Find him and ban the tosser

@BlythGraeme: I’m a lifetime QPR fan and ashamed to hear this. Hatred in the game is just totally unfathomable. We as a community need to feckin wake up. Please don’t tar all with the same brush. My own personal apologies for this low life

@DottieJanes: That is low…hope they find whoever did it. Disgusting. 🤬

@SimplyCraig1: Fuck QPR fucking scum good for nothing but the worst pricks

@PeterHamm10: Totally agree, I always believe that my club, is a family club, is part of the community and welcomes everyone. Inane comments do so much harm and QPR fans are better than that. Hope the culprit is identified.

@sjdhatters: A silly tweet? Racial abuse is what I would call it

@paulfinney1969: We don’t need this shite at our club and i question the sanity of anyone posting that rubbish

@MrSteveThomas: This sad individual isn’t a fan, and we need to distance ourselves from vile filth. Hope this person is found and dealt with.

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