Comedian Alan Davies has had his £1,000 donation to the Hillsborough Justice Campaign (HJC) rejected.

Davies decided to make the gesture after he was criticised for comments he made about Liverpool's refusal to play on the anniversary of the 1989 disaster.

The club's policy is to not play matches on the 15 April so that they may mourn the 96 supporters who lost their lives during an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest 23 years ago.

But the Hillsborough Justice Campaign said: "The HJC has not accepted the £1000 paid into it's paypal account by Alan Davies.

"Whilst we accept his apology, we would prefer that he genuinely tried to understand why the decision never to play on the anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster is so important."

The HJC tweeted their decision:

@HJC_Official
HJC Official

The HJC has not accepted the £1000 paid into it's paypal account by Alan Davies. Whilst we accept his apology, we... http://t.co/nIO0ngEW

April 10, 2012 4:59 pm via Facebook Reply Retweet Favorite

Speaking on the Arsenal podcast, The Tuesday Club last week, Davies expressed his exasperation at the club's aversion to staging matches featuring them on that date.

"Liverpool and the 15th - that gets on my tits that s**t. What are you talking about, 'We won't play on the day'. Why can't they?

"Do they play on the date of the Heysel Stadium disaster? How many dates do they not play on? Do Man United play on the date of Munich? Do Rangers play on the date when all their fans died in that disaster whatever year that was - 1971?"

Thirty-nine fans were killed at Heysel in 1985 after a wall collapsed - which was deemed to be the fault of Liverpool supporters at the European Cup final. English clubs were subsequently banned from Europe for five years as punishment.

Davies informed a tweeter of his donation:

@alandavies1
Alan Davies

@smartcommsglos good idea, I will make that donation now. It is a good cause and I do support it, despite what some people are saying.

April 9, 2012 10:15 pm via web Reply Retweet Favorite

Despite the ire directed Davies' way, Juventus have previously played on the date of the Heysel disaster, United have played on the anniversary of the Munich air disaster, Rangers have featured on the date of the Ibrox stadium disaster and Bradford City have also had a game on the date of the Valley Parade stadium fire.

Davies did state in the podcast that Hillsborough is "the most awful thing that's happened in my life, in terms of football", but stressed it was he said. "ridiculous that they refuse to play on that day any more".

He later took to Twitter to deny he had shown disrespect to the victims, saying that "the tone I took on the podcast was inappropriate for this subject. I support the campaign for justice for the 96."

Liverpool face Everton in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday 14 April, whereas Champions League semi-finalists Chelsea play the following day, despite facing Barcelona two days later.