Sheffield Wednesday FC has dropped its long-running libel case against 14 fans whose postings on the online forum owlstalk.co.uk prompted the club into a legal challenge in the High Court.
As George Monbiot writes in The Guardian, the original case started two and a half years ago and just over one year ago the High Court ordered the site owners to reveal the identity of three anonymous posters.
The club also pursued Wednesday fans who had posted negative comments about its chairman Dave Allen on the BBC Radio 5 Live football blog. Incidentally, Allen has now left the club after a disagreement with the board.
Monbiot has no time for the club or for British libel laws – often described as among the most stringent in the world – and points out that the current las is based on the rules from the 19th and 20th century designed to protect the reputation of upper class gentlemen.
Owls fans may well be lighting up the message boards again today: the team lost 6-0 away to Reading last night…
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog
