The Hillsborough Thread

[Barrett]

Firstly, I should hope that a warning is not needed but any replies to this thread which are in bad taste will result in an instant ban.

Tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster.

Now, although I am only 21 years old and at the time of the tragedy I was only just over 1 years old I still fully understand the impact that day had on this city.

Obviously I don't remember a thing as I was too young but I was wondering as we have many people over the age of 30 on here, can you remember where you was that day? Did it affect you personally, mentally?

I find it so sad that 96 football fans went to enjoy a football match and never came home.

There is a documentary on tomorrow night on ITV called 'Hillsborough' and if it's the one I have seen before it's so heart breaking. A must watch if you get the chance.

RIP the 96.

[burnley_collector]

I was only 9 at the time, but can clearly remember my dad putting the tv on, because he'd heard on the radio that there was a problem.

I will never forget the pictures I saw that day.

There's a programme on the History channel tomorrow at 8pm about Hillsborough, and also a 2-hour programme on ITV4 at 9pm.

[coolascustard]

Derby were playing at old trafford that day,and I was sat in the Strettford end with a Man utd mate.When it was announced at half time that there had been a incident and some fatalities a section of the crowd cheered,never felt so disgusted.Got home and watched the news got to say I shed a tear.

[mancitymark]

My memories of that awful afternoon are still very fresh and I think they always will be - I was 15 or 16 at the time and was listening to radio five, while grandstand was on in my bedroom at my parents house, hoping to hear of any news regarding City’s trip to Blackburn Rovers. At first it was reported that there was disturbances at Hillsborough and I, like others may have done at the time, thought it must have been crowd trouble in the Liverpool end, as this was quiet common in them days at football, But what unfolded and the pictures shown, were ones of just complete utter disbelief and I just couldn’t help thinking in the days/weeks/months/years after, that so many people had lost there lives going to watch a football match in a sport I was just as passionate about - It just didn’t make sense to me then and still doesn’t now.

My sincere condolences go out to anyone connected with Hillsborough and may the 96 forever more RIP.
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[Barrett]

I was brought up to hate The Sun newspaper and still do nowadays.

I feel resentment whenever I see someone in Liverpool read or buy that paper. If I see one lying around either in a public place or in work I feel like I HAVE to put it in the bin.

Kelvin McKenzie, the editor back then is possibly the msot hated man ever on Merseyside. He still hasn't apologised for the lies he printed.

[anfieldpurch]

i shall be attending the memorial tomorrow
i was not born BUT my uncle and grandad both attended in those pens.

[stodin]

I remember exactly where I was.

I was in the Kop at Hillsborough and saw the whole thing unfold before my eyes.

I had no idea how bad the situation was at first. Even seeing people making stretchers out of advertising hoardings didnt really make me believe it was so serious. After half an hour or so it was clear that people were hurt and dead. I cant quite put into words how horrendous it was seeing fans trying to give CPR and seeing the police covering up dead bodies on a football pitch.


When we got back to the car we were stunned by the reports that 20-odd people had died. The figure just kept rising on the hour long journey back to Nottingham.

It is something that will stay with me forever, people going to a football match never to return.


Hillsborough was a disaster waiting to happen. I went there earlier in the season and due to the number of Forest fans in the Leppings lane end I was unable to even get through the tunnel to the middle pen... I had to go round to one of the side pens under the floodlights.

Forests last away game before Hillsborough was Derby, one of the few times this game was not all-ticket. The crush was very scary, 2 people infront of me fainted before the police opened the gates to let us onto the pitch and round to the emptier pens.



One thing that I struggle to understand though is why do we get all this coverage of Hillsborough yet the Bradford fire (equally horrific) is all but forgotten.

Lets remember ALL innocents that have died at football matches.

RIP

[Barrett]

I totally agree stodin.

Hillsborough gets ALOT of coverage and rightly so but others like the Bradford Fire, Heysel an Munich don't get nearly as much coverage.

Munich did get quite abit last season due to the anniversary but Bradford and Heysel gets sweeped under the carpet.

I think Hillsborough gets alot more publicity though each year because of the way it happened. Police lies and cover ups, Maggie Thatcher wasn't interested, a national newspaper trying to blame the fans, printing disgusting lies and complete and utter bollocks.

And STILL, 20 years on The Sun have yet to apologise!

[paulo]

I was at the other semi at Villa Park (Norwich V Everton). Never forget that day. Our coach ended up in the Everton Coach Park. I have never seen to this day so many people stood silent after a game just listening to the radio.

Barely a word was said on the way home.

Match of the day covered the whole thing that evening and I will never forget how graceful Des Linham was. At the end of the programme he said "the was another game today at Villa Park, Everton beat Norwich 1-0, but I guess that does not really matter in the context of things". How right he was.

If you are really feeling brave read the book "the day of the Hillsborough distaster" - its the hardest book I have ever read. Had to put it down so many times as I could not read it as I was in tears. I still have it, but doubt I could ever read it again.

RIP to the 96 who went to a game of football that day, but did not make it back. This must NEVER happen again!

[Barrett]

I remember my uncle telling me about that day. Like paulo he was at Villa Park in the Everton section and he said even though we had won and were into the final not one Everton fan wanted to celebrate after the game. He said the coach on the way home was just completely silent apart from people listening to radio's trying to get information on what had happened.

Personally, I don't think the final should have been played that year. Although it is very fitting that Liverpool beat us to win the cup.

Did anyone watch the memorial service on the television today? I couldn't as I was in work but apparently there were in excess of over 25,000 there!

[paulo]

Barrett - have a look on the news tonight. It is truely amazing how many people have turned out. A great boost for the families I should think.

[Barrett]

Tonight, coming home from work has hit me hard.

My step-dad was only 20 at the time of the disaster and was in the Leppings Lane. Granada Reports (local news on ITV) had a report on tonight and you could see he had been crying all day already. The report then showed a clip from 20 years ago where a local news crew had gone through the Leppings Lane gates and into the stand. There was all sorts of things lying on the ground. Hats, scarves, newspapers, shoes, clothes.....

And then I saw my step-dad burst out crying. He has never spoken to me about what happened that day, I just knew he was there. His own son's don't even know.

That hit me hard.

It has been quite an emotional day today so far, I'm sure the 2 hour long special on ITV3 at 9pm will really hit home too. I can't even begin to imagine what the families must have gone through.

[CelticViking]

As l was living in Denmark at the time and l was at work when l heard that their was problems at Sheffield , l thought it was another Heysel. latter l found out what really happened. As l from Liverpool it affected me alot . I had a few friends at the match and l remember ringing many times to see if my friends were ok and they where. I will never forget the pictures l saw on the Tv that day
A week later l was at a danish Football league match at Aalborg The ground was full that day and l was in the stands that day on the far side of the ground. Aalborg scored and the goalscorer went over to the far side to celebrate and without warning a wall collapsed throwing a section of the crowd tumbling down, several were hurt . The match was stoped, only a minor incident but a shiver went right through me as l thought of Hillsbrough. Though thankfully the people where OK
My father sent me the local papers of that sad event from England, and after that date my dad never ever bought the Sun and neither did l

[Auchinleckian]

What happened at Hillsborough was a miracle in that it ahd not happened earlier. As a fan of Grimsby Town, like many other football fans in the 70's and 80's I was treated as a pariah at every football league ground I went to by the Police, the home club, and the government of the day.
In these days of (sadly failed) mass consumerism football fans are still being treated shabbily, albeit with a smiling face at the Premeirship citadels. Ripped off with over the top prices for matchday tickets (nowadays a matchday experience) and the must have merchandise, including 3 or 4 aways trips per season.
What happened at Hillsborough was partly as a result of government interference, leaning on clubs to pen fans in (Ken Bates as chairman of Chelsea once put up electrified fencing at Stamford Bridge on top of the fences) police incompetence and lies, that have been compounded for 20 years since by their refusal to accept any aprt in the blame. The rightwing gutter press, most notably the Sun who tried to pin the lie that some liverpools upporters were robbing the dead of their wallets as they lay on the pitch, has been a poor seller on Merseyside ver since. Nothing will bring the fans back, and I think that until there is afull independent public enquiry, where the police are held accountable for their gross incompetence, the game will not move on.

[pastpirate]

I applied for a ticket for the game but didn't get one.
At the time I was gutted over this.
On the day I was working and listened to the build up on the van radio,
Got home just as reports started to come through about problems.
Put the tv on and watched in total shock at the unfolding disaster.
Had I have got that ticket I would have been towards the front in the central area.
Every time I have heard the name Hillsborough since then a shiver has gone right through me.

RIP the 96.

Jamie.
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[paulo]

The book I was refering to is called the day of the Hillsborough disaster - a narrative account, by Rogan Taylor, Andrew Ward and Tim Newburn.

Its not for the faint hearted though.

[crowdedhouse]

Hillsborough was a tragedy which must never be repeated again.

This disaster changed football in the UK forever, and every time we visit an all-seater stadium we should always remember the 96 dead and countless injured that day.

Football authorities were made to realise that 99.9% of fans attending games were not mindless thugs intent on creating havoc if they were not penned in like wild animals in a zoo. The FA, police and club officials were made to realise that football was an entertainment industry for children, parents and grandparents to attend and they were also part of the local communities that the clubs resided in.

Yes, the Taylor Report forced football into the 20th century and along with that we lost a lot of footballing heritage but it is nothing compared to the loss of a fellow supporter in a preventable accident. WE should have learnt from the past - Burnden Park, Ibrox, Bradford fire, Heysel - before Hillsborough.

Anyone who harks back to standing on the terraces in crowds of 40,000 and moans about the lack of atmosphere in all-seater stadia just has to watch todays events to understand why we should never go back.

96 deaths were remembered today.

I always remember them and those that died in Bradford, every time I take my seat to watch my team in comfort and safety and give thanks that their untimely passing has forced the football authorities to ensure the safety and security of every supporter, every matchday.

[anfieldpurch]

I went to the memorial and i was staggered by the turnout. The doors were supposed to open at 2pm but i was in the first wave to be let in at around 1pm. I expected the lower centenary to be half full but for The Kop,Lower Centenary,Main Stand all to be Packed to the rafters and the Lower Anny Road being almost full.

I also have to single out Alan Kennedy that despite the situatio he was the only Player to stop and sign autographs and discuss his memories.

The service was very emotional. The Sports Minister was barracked and the chants of Justice for the 96 i was indeed one of the thousands screaming that.

Though it should have concluded at 3:45 it did not finish until 4:30. But the awful news is there was a little bit of crushing in the Anfield Road and Main Stand sections.