04/04/2025 50comments  |  Jump to last

Everton have come out in support of James Tarkowski after the defender and his family received death threats and social media abuse following his tackle on Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday.

The on-field referee dished out a yellow card for Tarkowski’s late studs-up follow-through on the Argentine midfielder but the referees’ body PGMOL later issued a statement suggesting he should have been sent off for the severity of the tackle.

"Everton Football Club is aware of threats made towards James Tarkowski and his family on social media. Such behaviour is completely unacceptable and has no place in football or society," read a Toffees statement.

"The club is liaising with James and his wife Samantha, and stands ready to engage with the social media companies and assist the police with any potential investigation. Everton strongly condemns any form of online or offline intimidation, threats or abuse directed at players, staff, or their families."

The club’s manager David Moyes has also said that such abuse is ‘not acceptable’ in the pre-match press conference as Everton are set to face Arsenal this weekend following their 1-0 loss to Liverpool.

"The club have issued a statement," Moyes said. "It's not acceptable for anybody in any walk of life. We have to hold our hands up.

"After looking at it again, I believe it could have been a sending off but I don't think that should mean you get abused online because of that. It's part of football. He made what looked at the time what I thought was a very good tackle but looking at it again I thought it was a bit reckless."

Tarkowski’s wife Samantha posted on Instagram about the abuse that her husband had been receiving and called it “beyond disgusting”.

"The level of abuse my husband is receiving wishing death on him, vile comments about me, about us as a couple and about him as a person is beyond disgusting," she said.

"People forget that he is more than just a footballer. He is a husband, a son, a brother, a friend and most importantly the father of our two children.

“Football is a sport, but the way some so-called fans behave is disgraceful. The abuse, the threats - it's not passion, it's pathetic. We're real people and this goes far beyond football."

In the aftermath of the challenge, Tarkowski was seen speaking to Mac Allister after the final whistle and even said that the Liverpool midfielder had accepted his apology. "I spoke to him and apologised because it was not a great tackle," he told Premier League Productions.

 

Reader Comments (50)

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Les Moorcroft
1 Posted 04/04/2025 at 15:36:45
They are a different breed that lot. Sky are no better. Why play never walk alone and no one talks while it's on. Mugrals. Fk lot.
Andy Mead
2 Posted 04/04/2025 at 15:45:48
Cowards online. Should be named and shamed and made to explain their comments in person. Reason why the world is like it is. Same as crowds hurling abuse at players and then crying to the authorities when the players hold a finger to their lips.
Jim Bennings
3 Posted 04/04/2025 at 15:52:19
Nothing shocks me with the Attack of the Killer Klowns across the park.

Like to come across as the most amazing loveable crowd on earth but really it's just a nasty spiteful blood baying circus of hatred.

Crime sheet over the years as long as an elephant's cock, that's both their players and the support.

Danny O'Neill
4 Posted 04/04/2025 at 16:06:08
Same city. Different breed.
Colin Crooks
5 Posted 04/04/2025 at 17:02:01
"Beyond disgusting"

Game, set and match Mrs Tarkowski

Charles Brewer
6 Posted 04/04/2025 at 17:38:11
So they've moved on from mass murder at Heysel and Hillborough and they are now threatening individual murder. At least they're consistent.

As I saw a comment elsewhere, the RS had a banner saying "We built this city", far more appropriate is "We shamed this city".

Christine Foster
7 Posted 04/04/2025 at 18:25:14
So where is the statement from Liverpool FC condemning the abuse? It's a travesty that they will be league winners. Their self entitled arrogance hides their other side of bitter, nasty minded low life's. To go after a man's wife and kids for a collision that didn't even cause injury, well there is only one word.
Scum.
I used to think that the phrase " always playing the victim" was over the top but I'm honestly not so sure now. Their fans are something else, fuelled by a media who seek outrage at every turn.
A despised club, giving scousers a bad name.
Jeff Spiers
8 Posted 04/04/2025 at 18:33:46
To each and every post above, and no doubt more to follow, 100% first class. Thank you. To every RS shit houses, you can't go any lower. No doubt you'll set the Bizzies on me for using hurty feely words. Always the fuckin victims. Scum.
Ian Jones
9 Posted 04/04/2025 at 18:34:51
Didn't some of our fans send death threats to Nick Barmby when he left us to join Liverpool...or was that just a rumour?
Si Cooper
10 Posted 04/04/2025 at 18:39:10
You can’t describe the challenge as ‘late’ Anjishnu because he played the ball. Follow-through is always going to happen in the aftermath.
‘Late’ makes it sound like more of an out and out assault and you are setting Tarks for more criticism from people who haven’t actually seen the incident.
Should never happen but hopefully these are just the usual empty threats. Would be nice if the scum doing it got traced and prosecuted properly for what is a type of assault of its own.
John Pickles
11 Posted 04/04/2025 at 18:55:23
Keyboard warriors, not one of the cowards would dare say a word to his face.
Mark Taylor
12 Posted 04/04/2025 at 18:56:17
I hope for the last time, it wasn't a 'challenge' or ' a tackle'. Had it been I can see the rationale for red. It was a clearance.

Right now the calls for a red are based on the claim that Tarks meant it- thought crime can hardly be proven- or that it is apparently possible, despite the pace that football is played, for a big clearance to be made with an abbreviated follow through. Maybe but that seems a stretch and maybe McAllister, surely knowing he was getting nowhere near the ball, might not have insisted on putting himself in the line of fire. Or maybe he misjudged.

Either way, death threats are a despicable thing to make, by despicable people and I agree LFC should waste no time in condemning those of their own who behave like this.

Jim Bennings
13 Posted 04/04/2025 at 19:01:39
You only need to look at the treatment of Trent Alexander Arnold for a clear indicator of where they are mentally.

The lad has won everything at that club, come from the academy and at his age has a right to move to a vastly superior club in a vastly superior city (I mean playing your footy off Walton Breck Road or Madrid, come on) in a vastly superior weather climate.

Yet no doubt when he leaves there will be effigies of him burning in streets and his house here will have been burgled and burnt out.

The media are terrified of upsetting them, it's not so much as a bias as a fear so they just go along with everything that is pro Liverpool and anti everyone else.

Paul Ferry
14 Posted 04/04/2025 at 19:12:20
Has anyone seen a condemnation of these sons of Heysel from the red shite's suits and top brass?
Jim Bennings
15 Posted 04/04/2025 at 19:17:37
Didn't see anything wrong with the tackle either to be honest.

Nowhere near as bad as Steven Gerrard and his hip high lunge on Kev Campbell (RIP big man) or his cowardly two footed lunge on a Gary Naismith in 2002.

Or Suarez raking his studs down Sylvain Dustin's Achilles tendon in 2012 at Goodison or Kuyt trying to Bruce Lee Phil Neville in the Clattenburg derby of 2007.

Kopites will obviously always have amnesia on these incidents like all their past misdemeanors.

Sean Kelly
16 Posted 04/04/2025 at 19:20:09
That won’t happen Paul. Despicable behaviour from the devils spawn club. Despicable cretins
Paul Ferry
17 Posted 04/04/2025 at 19:30:35
You're a seasoned blue Sean. You know you're right.

What a wonderfully poised and admirable response from wife, mother, and all-round human being Samantha.

We sometimes forget how much better, smarter, and more beautiful our wives are compared to their cheap and classless WAG slags.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=157080704352113&set=pb.100080432970900.-2207520000&locale=en_GB

Anthony Flack
18 Posted 04/04/2025 at 19:37:51
They are not called the Red Scum for nothing, though deep down I doubt it is abuse from true loyal local reds some of them are even ok.

They have a wide range of supporters who probably do not even know where the team play, but are all capable nasty keyboard warriors.

Rob Halligan
19 Posted 04/04/2025 at 19:42:17
This shower of shite are so low, lower than a snakes belly, that they even sent death threats to Slippy G when he was on the verge of joining Chelsea, only for him to back down due to the threats. The most vile obnoxious scum bag bastards ever to walk this planet.
Paul Ferry
20 Posted 04/04/2025 at 19:47:45
Big Rob: 19: "The most vile obnoxious scum bag bastards ever to walk this planet".

But never alone Rob 😆😆🤣💙👺👹

Nigel Scowen
21 Posted 04/04/2025 at 19:49:40
Paul@17

Bloody hell Paul I thought that was going to be a picture of the stunning Mrs Tarkowski

Paul Ferry
22 Posted 04/04/2025 at 19:50:06
Ah, of course, the knobhead 5Live pundits - Don Hutchinson and Michael Brown - in faux outrage screaming that it should have been a straight red and that James T knew exactly what he was doing.
Paul Ferry
23 Posted 04/04/2025 at 19:50:55
It's Mrs Salah Nigel. Fair point though. I should have issued a public health warning.
Shaun McGough
24 Posted 04/04/2025 at 19:51:22
not just italians they want to murder nowadays
Nigel Scowen
25 Posted 04/04/2025 at 19:53:15
Especially whilst I’m eating Paul.
Paul Ferry
26 Posted 04/04/2025 at 20:05:07
I just googled "Liverpool FC condemn Tarkowski death threats".

Nothing. Absolute scummy silence.

All that came up was: "Everton condemn ... "

Rob Halligan
27 Posted 04/04/2025 at 20:06:27
Paul, there will be nothing from that scum bag of a club.
Charles Brewer
28 Posted 04/04/2025 at 20:28:26
In looking for the flag which should have read "We shamed this city", there was another which read "Form is temporary, Class is permanent".

Well, I think the red club and supporters have definitively nailed that one. They may have temporary form, but they certainly have no class.

And on the tackle, I thought the post match encounter between Tarkovsky and MacAllister put it properly in context when Tarkovsky obviously said he'd got is a bit wrong and MacAllister smiled and accepted the apology, clearly recognising that that's how football sometimes goes and that no malice was intended. MacAllister went up somewhat in my opinion when I saw that. Unlike the Gobshite fans.

Paul Ferry
29 Posted 04/04/2025 at 20:36:42
"Life is temporary, Murder is permanent"?
Mike Connolly
30 Posted 04/04/2025 at 20:43:30
lmao paul
Paul Hewitt
31 Posted 04/04/2025 at 21:11:33
Thank god there's a game tomorrow. Move on from this nonsense.
Paul Ferry
32 Posted 04/04/2025 at 21:12:49
Tarkowski getting death threats and the complete silence from their tob brass is not "nonsense" Paul.
Paul Hewitt
33 Posted 04/04/2025 at 21:24:58
It's a couple of knob heads PF. The worlds full of them.
Paul Ferry
34 Posted 04/04/2025 at 21:26:26
Understood PH but think of the family. Imagine if it was yours.
Paul Hewitt
35 Posted 04/04/2025 at 21:30:29
In truth PF, I'd ignore it. The dickheads that did it were probably pissed and forgot what they did the next day.
Les Moorcroft
36 Posted 04/04/2025 at 21:38:27
Yes paul 35, not be there fault. Poor lads. Just got pisst and threatened a family. Are well there's always tomorrow. Scum no other words.
Paul Hewitt
37 Posted 04/04/2025 at 21:43:41
Les. Let the police deal with it. Fans moaning on a forum does nothing.
Les Moorcroft
38 Posted 04/04/2025 at 21:46:18
Well we better close all forums down paul. Is it not a place to have your say.
Danny O'Neill
39 Posted 04/04/2025 at 21:47:18
Sorry all. I know its an emotive topic, but we're playing Arsenal tomorrow. Get over there and discuss that.
Les Moorcroft
40 Posted 04/04/2025 at 21:48:29
You go over.
Paul Hewitt
41 Posted 04/04/2025 at 21:49:04
It's is, but it's the same old shite. There all scum, total fucking nonsense. I know plenty rs fans who are perfectly nice people.
Paul Ferry
42 Posted 04/04/2025 at 21:49:22
Danny, this is TODAY'S topic mate.
Danny O'Neill
43 Posted 04/04/2025 at 22:04:56
You'll both be there tomorrow Paul(s). I know you both will.

Don't forget Soldier Field in July.

I'm home and getting ready for the match. I've said all I can about Wednesday.


Paul Ferry
44 Posted 04/04/2025 at 22:12:17
Have a great trip DO. 2-1 to us (Beto will not score).
Eric Haworth
45 Posted 04/04/2025 at 22:29:33
Boys & Girls, please bear in mind that this is no one off, because they have history. Both Pickford and Doucoure have been similarly on the receiving end of this type of loathsome cowardice? Which is another symptom of the vile plague that seems to exist within that club & shared by it’s followers, and Danny#4 puts it more succinctly than I. Likewise Christine#7 who spotlights the complete lack of dignity that has been absent within that club for many years. So anyone being surprised by their failure to condemn their latest in a catalogue of vile behaviour, only has to recall John Smith’s statement post-Heysel. Their followers are merely continuing the unacceptable behaviour that was condoned by their club a number of years ago.
Andrew Merrick
46 Posted 04/04/2025 at 22:30:48
They won the bloody game, and took the spoils, but that's not enough is it?
Any self respecting red would disown this, the silence is truly deafening isn't it...
Derek Thomas
47 Posted 04/04/2025 at 22:47:18
rs; you always get exactly what it says on the tin - I'd rather walk alone thanks.
Paul Ferry
48 Posted 04/04/2025 at 22:54:54
Absolutely Eric (45): after Heysel: lest we forget:

John Smith: "The ground was not good enough for an ordinary match, let alone a final … "

John Smith: the Heysel troublemakers were actually National Front supporters, probably from London, and that a shot had been fired before the worst part of the riot.

John Smith: I was approached by six NF supporters who he said professed themselves “delighted with the death and destruction of Heysel … They were boasting they had caused the trouble that evening and seemed pleased with their actions … [they claimed to be] the National Front, from Chelsea. They led Liverpool fans into something they wouldn't usually get involved in".

“Smith was a man of values and integrity” (liverpool-kop.com)

Peter Robinson: “I certainly cannot condone the behaviour of some Liverpool fans but there are questions which need to be asked … The fence erected to divide the fans was flimsy affair, and there appeared to be no police presence between the fans. Whole sections of the concrete wall at the rear of the trouble spot had been removed allowing people to flood in. And it would appear no-one was frisked as the police found literally hundreds of bottles afterwards. More security could and should have been taken.”

Liverpool Liberal Councillor Peter Red Shite Millea: I met a contingent of skinheads wearing Union Jack T-shirts and speaking with cockney accents. (to the echo)

Lest we forget:

Bruno Guarini: “They came running at us through the fence [my son] Alberto was caught against a barrier. His last words were ‘Papa, mi stanno schiaccando’ – Daddy, they’re crushing me”. Guarini lost consciousness, but when he came to he insisted that the Red Cross join him to search for his son. They found him, lifeless.

Bruno Guarini: “we thought their fans would be like us, just crazy about football.”

Si Cooper
49 Posted 04/04/2025 at 22:57:49
Paul H, I’m 100% with you on this issue.

The sweeping negative generalisations and the endless ‘whataboutery’ TW has been swamped with since Wednesday night is just what we detest in others (them especially) and rightly call them out for.

Andrew (46), have you actually spoken to anyone who is denying the death threats are despicable?

Paul Ferry
50 Posted 04/04/2025 at 23:12:50
I think Si (49), that like me Andrew is referring to the suits and top brass who own, run, and manage that club.

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