Liverpool fans' backlash sees Jon Flanagan message deleted as ex-player retires

Liverpool fans did not take kindly to a post from the club wishing ex-defender Jon Flanagan well in his retirement.

Flanagan, 29, came through the Reds' academy and played 40 times for the club in the Premier League. However, the England international was arrested for assault in 2017, towards the end of his time on Liverpool's books, and was handed a community order after pleading guilty to the charge.

The defender, who also spent time in the Scottish and Belgian leagues, announced his retirement after medical advice. Most recently, he had played in Denmark with HB Koge, making a handful of appearances for the team managed by former Reds fan favourite Daniel Agger.

"Best of luck in your next chapter, @jon_flan93," a message from Liverpool's official account read. However, the post was taken down following the backlash.

"How can you possibly wish him the best after he assaulted his girlfriend," one Twitter user asked. "Maybe take down this post," said another."

Former Liverpool star Jamie Carragher also sent a message in response to Flanagan's retirement announcement, writing "Well done Flanno on achieving your dream of playing for your club @LFC good luck in the future lad". At the time of writing, Carragher's message remains online, but a number of replies to his post have referenced Flanagan's arrest and sentence.

Flanagan admitted assaulting Rachel Wall on Duke Street in December 2017. The following month, he was handed a 12-month community order, 40 hours of unpaid community work and 15 'rehabilitation days'.

"You are a relatively young man with no previous convictions and it is therefore sad that you have come before the court today due to your behaviour," Judge Wendy Lloyd said at Flanagan's hearing at Liverpool Magistrates' Court. "This is an unpleasant episode... as we have discussed at the previous hearing this was not just a single act in that few minutes it was a matter of this lady going to the floor twice and you used your foot on her on one occasion.

"I find this was a category two offence, this lady does have injuries but of course she did not attribute those injuries to you. You claim to have no memory of this incident which does suggest you were very drunk indeed."

Flanagan spoke of the "careful consideration" which informed his decision to retire. He missed the entire 2014-15 season with knee problems, and has had further treatment before making his mind up to retire.

"The last 14 months I have tried everything possible to recover from my most recent knee surgery," a statement from the Liverpool-born player read. "However, ultimately my long term health has to come first, so following medical advice the right thing for me to do now is retire from the game.

"My dream as a boy was to grow up and play football for a living and today I'm so proud to say; I lived that dream. Not only playing and captaining my boyhood team Liverpool but also making an appearance for my country, those memories created will last a lifetime and I'm so grateful that I have had the experience that most others can only wish for."

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