A RETIRED police officers’ group has sparked fury after it claimed that members of the South Yorkshire force “did a good job” in the 1980s — just days after a damning verdict was handed down over its handling of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.

Inquests into the tragedy which concluded this week found that errors by South Yorkshire police contributed to the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans at a Liverpool v Nottingham Forest FA Cup semi-final  — and they then tried to cover up those mistakes and smear the victims instead.

But in a message, apparently accidentally posted on the organisation’s website, National Association of Retired Police Officers (Narpo) South Yorkshire branch secretary said ex-officers acted with “dignity” despite “bile and hatred.”