Liverpool's German manager Jurgen Klopp (L) and Liverpool's Croatian defender Dejan Lovren celebrate their victory over FC Rubin Kazan after the UEFA Europa League group B football match between FC Rubin Kazan and Liverpool FC in Kazan on November 5, 2015. AFP PHOTO / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEVKIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty Images

Liverpools team players celebrate their goal against Rubin during their Europa League Group B soccer match in Kazan, Russia, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015. (AP Photo/Nikolai Alexandrov)

Liverpool's English midfielder Jordon Ibe celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Europa League group B football match between FC Rubin Kazan and Liverpool FC in Kazan on November 5, 2015. AFP PHOTO / KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEVKIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty Images

Columnist Ian O'Doherty has been heavily criticised for claiming that Liverpool should have a 'permanent black armband' on their kit because the club go 'through so many commemorations of disasters and deaths'.

The Irish Independent journalist made the comments on Newstalk during a debate on the wearing of poppies to mark Remembrance Day in Britain.

He claimed that the symbol represented the “increased mawkishness of British society, and particularly in the context of football”.

Mr O’Doherty then said: “It seems you cannot go to a match in England now without there being a minute’s silence for the grandson of the tea lady who used to work in the stadium and now she’s feeling a bit poorly.

“I mean the joke is on Liverpool because they seem to go through so many commemorations of disasters and deaths that they should have just had a black armband just as part of their regulation kit.”

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Radio Host Shane Coleman interjected to say that they "went through an horrendous event" referring to the death of 96 people in the Hillsborough disaster.

O'Doherty responded by saying that he was a Manchester United fan and wasn't going to miss out on a chance to "have a go at them".

One irate Reds fan told the Liverpool Echo: "I don't think the journalist in question should simply be allowed to mock so openly the families of the 96, the club, its fans and the annual commemoration of the tragedy. The comments are nothing short of appalling".

Belfast Telegraph