No Fa Charges for Liverpool After Shields Protest

The Football Association has decided not to take disciplinary action against Liverpool following the club's public show of support for Michael Shields, the supporter jailed for an attack on a Bulgarian waiter in 2005 and whose controversial case goes before a judicial review today.

Liverpool, in conjunction with the Spirit of Shankly Supporters Union and the Shields family, staged a protest against the 22-year-old's conviction before Monday's goalless draw with West Ham United. The demonstration involved players wearing T-shirts with the slogan Free Michael Now before kick-off, the Kop holding aloft a mosaic with the same message and the actress Sue Johnston, accompanied by Shields' parents, making a speech on the pitch in which she called on the justice secretary, Jack Straw, to "do the right thing".

The FA was alarmed by Liverpool's backing for a man convicted of a serious crime and contacted senior club officials for an explanation yesterday. Having advised Liverpool against making further political messages, it elected not to take the matter on. World football's governing body, Fifa, confirmed it had contacted the FA over the events at Anfield but that any disciplinary measures were the responsibility of the host authority.

"We have spoken to Liverpool Football Club today about this matter," said an FA spokesperson. "We understand that Michael Shields' case is a very emotive issue and one that many Liverpool players and fans feel strongly about. Having heard the club's explanation we will not be taking any formal action and we are satisfied that they understand the sensitivities around football matches being used as a platform for political messages."

Shields was jailed for 15 years, later reduced to 10 years on appeal, for the attempted murder of Martin Georgiev, who suffered a fractured skull and brain damage after being struck on the head with a paving stone at the Golden Sands holiday resort in Bulgaria. The Liverpool fan has always protested his innocence and despite another man, Graham Sankey, confessing to the crime, a statement he later retracted, he has failed to have his conviction overturned.

Shields has since been transferred to HMP Haverigg in Cumbria to serve the remainder of his sentence having been refused a pardon by the Bulgarian president, Georgi Parvanov. Earlier this year Straw announced that as justice secretary he was powerless to grant a pardon or an early release to Shields, but the Liverpudlian's hopes were revived last month when a judge at the high court in London decided the case could be heard in full by three British judges. Their review is due to begin today.