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LISTEN:Ched Evans: Gordon Taylor reacts failed Oldham deal (BBC)

The head of the Professional Footballers' Association has sparked fury by apparently comparing the situation of convicted rapist footballer Ched Evans with that of the Hillsborough tragedy.

Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the PFA, was speaking in an interview on Radio5 Live earlier tonight following the announcement that a deal for footballer Evans to move to League One Oldham had collapsed.

He said: “This latest Oldham situation has not made anything better for him.

“He is a human being, he is one of our members, we are a civilised society and the rule of law having done your time he has been asked to show some remorse and it has always been in the hands of lawyers. It’s been very delicate and word has to be checked because of the situation he’s in and with the probation office he’s under.

"So no body is saying that it’s easy for him or anybody else.

“It’s not looking for him at the moment and he will need support like everybody else in this unfortunate situation needs support.

“He would not be the first person or persons to have been found guilty and maintained their innocence and then been proved right. If we are talking about things in football we know what happened, what was alleged to have happened at Hillsborough and it’s now unravelling and we are finding it was very different to how it was portrayed at the time. Indeed by the police at the time.”

Mr Taylor added: “Obviously it’s not a good time for him, he needs support like everybody in this particular incident needs support not least the woman concerned.”

People took to social media to make their feelings known about Mr Taylor’s comments, calling it “a disgraceful comparison.”

Tracey Stowers said: “How he can compare a convicted rapists situation with 96 innocent victims is beyond belief.”

Michelle Rivett said: “He needs to engage his brain before opening his mouth,” while on Twitter Mick Foster said it was “one huge insult both to victims and their families.”