Glentoran apology after tweet criticises SF man

A MEMBER of an Irish League club’s media team accidentally criticised a Sinn Fein activist’s newspaper column through the club’s official social media account.

The post, sent from Glentoran’s Twitter account, was in public view for less than a minute before it was deleted yesterday afternoon.

Sharing a photo of Jim Gibney’s column with the headline ‘Everyone would be better off in a united Ireland’, the tweet read: “Why didn’t Sinn Fein tell us his [sic] before. It would’ve saved a lot of hassle. Next up, ‘ We’re all better off in the UK says leading unionist’.”

A spokesperson for Glentoran Football Club said the tweet was sent by accident.

“It was not sanctioned on behalf of the club and does not represent the club’s opinion,” the east Belfast club continued.

“The tweet was up for less than a minute and the club apologises to Glentoran supporters for any embarrassment caused.”

Mr Gibney’s column, in yesterday’s Irish News, argued that a united Ireland would be “affordable” and that nationalists, unionists, and those with no political persuasion, would be “better off ”.

“That is the main conclusion of a Sinn Fein discussion document, ‘Economic Benefits of a United Ireland’, which the party launched just over a week ago,” wrote Mr Gibney.

Glentoran isn’t the only club that has made a mistake through a social media post in the past.

In 2013, Liverpool was forced to apologise after the club’s official Twitter account appeared to endorse a ‘joke’ about the Munich air disaster. The club invited supporters to recommend a song that should be played as Liverpool players walked out at Anfield to face Manchester United.

One fan suggested Frank Sinatra’s ‘Come Fly With Me’, in reference to the plane crash that claimed the lives of 23 people — including eight United players — in Munich in 1958.

The club replied: “Have you been sneaking a look at the dressing room ipod?” The tweet was deleted soon after.

Meanwhile, Manchester United’s Phil Jones received an apology from Twitter after it asked users to “name a footballer better than Phil Jones” to showcase its new anti-bullying service.

The club complained to Twitter and the post was subsequently deleted.

‘It does not represent the club’s opinion’