The 19th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster has gone almost completely unnoticed by the mainstream national media. The BBC, Sky Sports and ITV all failed to report the anniversary of the biggest disaster in British football history when 96 innocent fans lost their lives. Not online or in any of their news bulletins.

In fact, a quick search on the NewsNow service shows only the Daily Mail made any report of the anniversary. Instead the only other ‘news’ reported about the club today was tedious rumours linking Liverpool with Gareth Barry and Michael Johnson.

The best report from the memorial service is provided by AnfieldRoad.com here and Jim Boardman has uploaded photos here.

Only the local Liverpool Echo and Daily Post paid respect to the anniversary and also reported plans for a memorial match between Celtic and Liverpool which were detailed at the memorial at Anfield:

The Liverpool FC and Celtic FC teams that played days after the Hillsborough tragedy will play a benefit match at Anfield on the 20th anniversary of the disaster.

Phil Hammond, chairman of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, announced the decision during today’s memorial service held in The Kop.

He said: “The money raised will be split between HFSG and Marina Dalgleish Cancer Unit Appeal and will be played on, or about, April 19 next year.”

He said the fixture would feature as many of the 1989 first teams of both clubs as possible.

No doubt the media will fully cover Wednesday’s expected airing of an in-depth interview with Tom Hicks when he plans to further air the club’s dirty linen in public. It seems the club’s owners and the national media fail to show any respect to Liverpool FC and it’s fans.

Thankfully fellow football supporters did pay respect to the anniversary with messages from Everton and Man United fans in the TIA forums and the following email from an Arsenal fan:

As an Arsenal season ticket holder and football fan who stood on the North Bank 19 years ago when news of the Hillsborough tragedy filtered down the terraces; I would like to pass on my sincerest best wishes and codolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives both during and after the game.

It could have been any one of us that day.

The official Everton website paid respect to the anniversary with a report.

UPDATE: Within half an hour of this article going live both BBC and Sky Sports reported the memorial service at Anfield today.