OPINION
BBC Sport journalist Dan Walker has shown alarming double-standards on Twitter over two official messages from the Leeds and Derby Twitter accounts.
After Derby knocked Leeds out of the play-off semi-finals, Walker responded to an official Derby tweet showing Derby players and Frank Lampard lampooning the Leeds fans over the song, “Stop Crying Frank Lampard”.
Walker reacted to this tweet by saying “Don’t you just love football” and adding a clapping emoji.
Don’t you just love football? ?? https://t.co/bIIddpAcxz
— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) May 16, 2019
Things were rather different when Leeds took their revenge as Derby were knocked out of the play-off final.
As part of an ongoing Twitter feud with former One Direction member Niall Horan, it posted a message that read, “Hopefully you performed better than Derby! See you next season! #StopCrying”.
Walker didn’t react with quite as much enthusiasm to this message, responding with three “sick” emojis.
— Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) May 27, 2019
This infuriated Leeds fans who have long-felt there’s a bias against them in the media. And, with tweets like this, it’s understandable.
Here are the best reactions from frustrated Leeds fans:
You as well Dan? Why didn’t you do this the other week when Derby’s official account trolled Leeds?
— Lee O (@stackerbo) May 27, 2019
https://twitter.com/HmeisterGeneral/status/1133069714224295942
How disappointing a number of journalists and pundits seem to be reacting to this tweet. If you give it, you have to be able to take it, you know, the way Leeds had to two weeks ago…but let’s not upset Lampard or his Derby County. ?
— Ciara ?? (@CiaraWarrington) May 27, 2019
https://twitter.com/s90rny/status/1133106908943003649
Reel it in hypocrite
— Wraggy (@wraggywragg) May 27, 2019
Yet another BBC hypocrite. Yet it was fine for derby to dish it out to us last week though wasn’t it?
— David Wood (@mrdavidnwood) May 27, 2019
Journalists when @LUFC do anything. pic.twitter.com/yCOfPkkMiI
— Macca (@MacIsBack_93) May 27, 2019
Another hypocrite in the media here ? #LUFC
— Carl Endeacott (@LufcCarlos) May 27, 2019
https://twitter.com/Surtees14/status/1133075875468054528