Hillsborough

[KK77]

This is a Book of Remembrance that has been specially commissioned by the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo to commemorate those who lost their lives at the Hillsborough disaster 20 years ago.

If a relative or a friend of yours died on 15 April 1989, if you were at the stadium and survived the tragedy, or if you simply want to leave a message in memory of those who died, please do so. Any proceeds from the lighting of candles will be donated to the Hillsborough Family Support Group.

Two decades have passed since 96 Liverpool fans were killed in the worst football disaster in British sporting history. It is essential that we continue to honour their memory and never forget that dark day.

If you wish to view further tributes and photographs please click and play our Hillsborough Remembrance Album.

Hillsborough Memorial

[Angus]

Nice post and well said

One side point - I visited Anfield before Christmas and it was interesting to note the respect home and away fans both had for the memorial outside the ground.

There was a surreal moment after the game where the memorial is just behind the goal at the opposite end to the Kop. Not sure if this is normal but the crowd movement brings everybody to that spot and for about 20 seconds the crush was quite scary, and was right underneath the memorial

Not trying to make any point here other than to note it

[OwlsFan]

When I look back on some scary moments going to Dalymount as a kid in the days when 30K used to attend that stadium for cup finals and international games, we were so lucky we didn't have "a Hillsborough". There were concrete walls oneither side of the entrance to the turnstiles and I remember being lifted off my feet in the crush on a couple of occasions. There would be a mad surge if it got near kick off time. It was an accident waiting to happen.

[jbyrne]

When I look back on some scary moments going to Dalymount as a kid in the days when 30K used to attend that stadium for cup finals and international games, we were so lucky we didn't have "a Hillsborough". There were concrete walls oneither side of the entrance to the turnstiles and I remember being lifted off my feet in the crush on a couple of occasions. There would be a mad surge if it got near kick off time. It was an accident waiting to happen.

agree. ditto matches in lansdowne and croke park in the late 80s

[KK77]

When I look back on some scary moments going to Dalymount as a kid in the days when 30K used to attend that stadium for cup finals and international games, we were so lucky we didn't have "a Hillsborough". There were concrete walls oneither side of the entrance to the turnstiles and I remember being lifted off my feet in the crush on a couple of occasions. There would be a mad surge if it got near kick off time. It was an accident waiting to happen.

I remember the Italy game in 1985 as being once such case.

[reder]

I wasnt going to post in relation to Hillsborough until tomorrow and I have to hold my hands up and say that it is one of the very few things that I find very difficult to respond to in words. I really dont like talking about it. I feel uneasy.

I could go on off on a personal tangent about the impact it had on all those close to me on merseyside and the family debate that took place as to whether we should continue going to games but the following is the key message for me.

96 human beings left their homes that morning, on a day off from work, to go to watch a football game. They never came home.

Forget about pointing the finger of blame or analyzing facts, fiction or hearsay, that's just not right.

Win, lose or draw tonight, tomorrow or any April 15th will not be a happy day for me. If I never set foot into another LFC game in my life, it's something that will always pull at the strings of my heart.

96 friends, gone but never forgotten. YNWA.

[Stuttgart88]

I remember the Italy game in 1985 as being once such case.

Exactly.

Also the surge in the South Terrace when we equalised against Spain in the 3-3 draw. I took a 12 year old pal to the game and he was terrified getting swept away 20 metres sideways and down.

Also the triple crown game against Scotland (Ollie Campbell's 21 points - 1983?) where I was painfully suspended in mid air against a crush barrier in the North Terrace.

Also vs England in rugby around 1997 when the ground was over capacity because of forged tickets. We actually couldn't even get onto the terrace it was so overcrowded.

In my youthful naivety I thought it was all part and parcel of live sport. My future sister in law said she thought she was going to die at that Italy game at Dalyer and I dismissed her as just a girl who knew nothing about football crowds. We were blessed it didn't happen here.

[Angus]

Dipping into very difficult territory here so I am trying to be as careful and respectful as possible.

I understand that there is a Justice for the 96 campaign in Liverpool - when the families talk about justice, it appears to be a kind of parallel with the stardust families ? ie they are looking for greater clarity, disclosure, transparency from the government and police, together with details of who made what decisions on the day and who made what mistakes.

Have I got this right ?

Is this a case where they feel stonewalled and ignore by the state or is there something else I have not seen ?

[Macy]

Pretty much, and there was definitely some form of cover up and no police officer really faced any meaningful punishment. Thatcher's Government feckin hated football fans. However, if there's going to be truth then some unpalatable things will also have to explored and/ or accepted.

[OwlsFan]

No police officer really faced any meaningful punishment.

Do you think that if the police thought for one second 90+ people would be killed, they would have acted the same? Absolutely not. Mistakes were made of course but not for one second did anyone believe that the consequences of their actions would result in such a tragedy.

[Macy]

Do you think that if the police thought for one second 90+ people would be killed, they would have acted the same? Absolutely not. Mistakes were made of course but not for one second did anyone believe that the consequences of their actions would result in such a tragedy.

If they had nothing to hide, why the cover up? Why the missing cctv tapes, why the changed statements, why the initial lies about the gates being forced?

The police were in charge - their decisions contributed greatly (if not exclusively) to what happened.

[KK77]

Do you think that if the police thought for one second 90+ people would be killed, they would have acted the same? Absolutely not. Mistakes were made of course but not for one second did anyone believe that the consequences of their actions would result in such a tragedy.

96 humans lost their lives

[osarusan]

Do you think that if the police thought for one second 90+ people would be killed, they would have acted the same? Absolutely not. Mistakes were made of course but not for one second did anyone believe that the consequences of their actions would result in such a tragedy.

If police incompetence had a part to play in the loss of life, then such incompetence should be punished accordingly.

[OwlsFan]

And should the people who arrived late without tickets who tried to get in to the ground also be punished?

Incidentally, is there a close bond between Celtic and Liverpool? I saw this on the RTE site.

"The arrival of a contingent from Celtic, carrying two massive banners onto the pitch, was greeted with a standing ovation."

[osarusan]

And should the people who arrived late without tickets who tried to get in to the ground also be punished?

This is a perfect example of whataboutery.

[reder]

Incidentally, is there a close bond between Celtic and Liverpool? I saw this on the RTE site.

"The arrival of a contingent from Celtic, carrying two massive banners onto the pitch, was greeted with a standing ovation."

Yes there is, Celtic fans have always taken a special interest in the 96. Im guessing you are a Wednesday fan and I expect that you do to.

On a side note, mass at St. 7.30pm in Matthews Church, Ballyfermot is for the 96. The final hymn will be "You’ll Never Walk Alone". Told this by a colleague who lives in the area, so im hoping the details are correct.

[pineapple stu]

Do you think that if the police thought for one second 90+ people would be killed

I think the problem is that the police, it seems, didn't think at all.

[OwlsFan]

This is a perfect example of whataboutery.

So if two sets of people are to blame, only one set should be set up as the guilty? I'd call that lackofbalancery.

Yes there is, Celtic fans have always taken a special interest in the 96. Im guessing you are a Wednesday fan and I expect that you do to.

Yes I do. The word Hillsborough to most people is now the name of the site of a terrible tragedy. To me it's the name of a football ground which I have visited on many occasions. I was always pleased when FA Cup Semi-Finals were played in the stadium (the club were on the map). I never thought for one minute that the name would be associated forever more with the deaths of almost a hundred people.

[old git]

Pretty much, and there was definitely some form of cover up and no police officer really faced any meaningful punishment. Thatcher's Government feckin hated football fans. However, if there's going to be truth then some unpalatable things will also have to explored and/ or accepted.

their is also the horrible fire at bradford city 1985 56 people died
many could not get out due to exit gates being locked .. nobody ever faced any meaningful punishment over this and it seems to have been pushed further out of memory due to the terrible events at hillsborough think about it nearly 150 poor innocent pour souls going out to support their beloved clubs and being caught up in the horror of these 2 games and never coming home ...

[dfx-]

96 dead, but also 700 injured who I'm sure will never forget what they saw. And 27 aged 18 or under.

The Leppings Lane End was found to be under its capacity at 3.05 (9,734 in a capacity of 10,100 with 7 turnstiles). The two central terraces however had about 1500 people each in a 1000 limited pen and the pens either side were under capacity. It wasn't caused by a mass of late fans. It was caused by them being allowed into the wrong place at the wrong time.

There was one way in and no way out.