15th April 1989 - Hillsborough 20 years on..

The Real Laoislad · April 14, 2009, 04:10:10 PM

Can't believe its 20 years ago,I remember watching it as a 10 year old in our kitchen at home,on our little 14" TV.
Didn't know what was happening as I watched,I think like a lot of people I thought it was fighting in the crowd.

There is a documentary on the History channel tomorrow night at 8pm which looks like it will be interesting and also the BBC are showing live coverage of the memorial service tomorrow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2jCm_oWnHo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5PCrbRl3DI&feature=related

Square Ball · April 14, 2009, 04:45:34 PM

Bit like you LL, remember watching this on the TV and thinking what the hell is going on here. To watch dead people being dragged from the crowd was something that I will always remember, and again hard to believe it is 20 years since then.

i was watching skysports and its been interesting watching some of the old news reports, then interviewing some of the relatives of those who died and the way they have been remembering this tragedy.

Two Hands FFS · April 14, 2009, 04:52:54 PM

Never seen this before yesterday. AC Milan met R. Madrid in the 89 European Cup semi final a few days after Hillsbrough. 6 minutes into the match both teams stopped & held a minutes applause with You'll Never Walk Alone sung by the Milan fans. It was stopped 6 minutes into it as the Liverpool Forest match was stopped after 6 minutes. Wonderful touch. Great show of respect by the Milan Fans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZrVfMRyoE0

Puckoon · April 14, 2009, 05:58:13 PM

Very moving. Was it a weekend afternoon that this happened? I have very vague memories of the scene.

Gabriel_Hurl · April 14, 2009, 06:08:50 PM

It was indeed a Saturday afternoon

aroundincircles · April 14, 2009, 09:14:04 PM

Was at celtic v liverpool at the end of april that year so sad still have a video of it watch it every now and again. I know the hoops are behind the 96 getting Justice hail hail.

corn02 · April 14, 2009, 09:49:53 PM

Quote from: Two Hands FFS on April 14, 2009, 04:52:54 PM
Never seen this before yesterday. AC Milan met R. Madrid in the 89 European Cup semi final a few days after Hillsbrough. 6 minutes into the match both teams stopped & held a minutes applause with You'll Never Walk Alone sung by the Milan fans. It was stopped 6 minutes into it as the Liverpool Forest match was stopped after 6 minutes. Wonderful touch. Great show of respect by the Milan Fans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZrVfMRyoE0

Unbelievably superb.

red hander · April 14, 2009, 10:13:16 PM

I was a regular at both Hillsborough and Bramall Lane for the three years I lived in Sheffield (1985-88). The last ever game I was at in Hillsborough I was in the Leppings Lane end for the first and only time (Wednesday were playing Forest and my mate was a mad Forest supporter, so he wanted to go to the away end).

I honestly remember at the time thinking how claustrophobic that tunnel mentioned in the article was while I entered the away terraces ... there was also a metal rail/barrier running up the middle of the tunnel cutting it in half, so if you were on the right hand side you were funnelled into the right terrace, and vice versa for the left hand side.

There wouldn't have been 25,000 at this particular game, but there was still a bit of a crush in that tunnel with the Forest fans and a fair bit of jostling once you came out into the light ... the total opposite of the situation at the 'home' end which was actually one of the largest kops in England along with the Holte End at Villa, and which always felt safe from a crowd control point of view, considering it was a terrace that could accommodate about 19,000-20,000 people.

It was a real shock less than a year later watching that match on TV and seeing the carnage, and finding out later that a lot of those who died perished in that tunnel.

As far as the South Yorkshire Police are concerned ... I always found them at matches to be a shower of ignorant f**kers as far as their behaviour towards fans inside and outside the ground was concerned, so I wasn't surprised that they were responsiible for the manslaughter of 96 people, even though none of them have even been done for it, the bastards...

The Real Laoislad · April 14, 2009, 10:13:31 PM

Quote from: Two Hands FFS on April 14, 2009, 04:52:54 PM
Never seen this before yesterday. AC Milan met R. Madrid in the 89 European Cup semi final a few days after Hillsbrough. 6 minutes into the match both teams stopped & held a minutes applause with You'll Never Walk Alone sung by the Milan fans. It was stopped 6 minutes into it as the Liverpool Forest match was stopped after 6 minutes. Wonderful touch. Great show of respect by the Milan Fans

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZrVfMRyoE0

Yeah had seen that before..
Amazing jesture really...

Gabriel_Hurl · April 14, 2009, 10:41:47 PM

there's a very good memorial thread over on the forum at Football365 (I know most of you can't access that forum - so I'll post it in here)

under the bar · April 14, 2009, 10:44:30 PM

QuoteAs far as the South Yorkshire Police are concerned ... I always found them at matches to be a shower of ignorant f**kers as far as their behaviour towards fans inside and outside the ground was concerned, so I wasn't surprised that they were responsiible for the manslaughter of 96 people, even though none of them have even been done for it, the b**tards...

Whilst there were lots of combined errors of judgement on that day I don't think anyone set out to injure or kill people so it's unfair to lay it all at the door of the South Yorkshire Police, albeit it would have helped if they'd held their hands up to their role in it at an earlier stage. A tragic day and I expect everyone, FA, police, stewards, Liverpool fans and press would have all played it differently in hindsight. Thankfully lessons were learned but at great cost.

Gabriel_Hurl · April 14, 2009, 10:46:30 PM

QuoteThat Lad

April fifteenth, nineteen-eighty-nine.
Semi-final day, the weather was fine.
Set off for Hillsborough in our mini-bus.
Laughing and singing, all twelve of us.
Bevy in the alehouse. Reds having the crack.
We didn't know then some wouldn't come back.
Walked down the hill on the way to the ground.
This was dead weird, not many bizzies around.
There's normally hundreds. Usually loads.
They must all be busy blocking off the roads.
Forest fans in one way, Liverpool another.
Can't have them meeting. "Don't want the bother."
One bizzy on horseback shouting over the din.
"Stop bloody pushing. You'll all get in."
"Come on lads, they've opened a gate."
"Hurry up, we don't wanna be late."
Straight up the tunnel and into the dark.
Couldn't even see the players out there on the park.
Something's not right. This is all going wrong.
My ribs are getting crushed in this massive throng.
I fell on the terrace, looking up at the sky.
God, I was scared. I don't wanna die!
Punch, kick, scrap, fight.
Got to do anything to get back upright.
I was like a wild animal. What's happening here!
Survival instinct. Stark bloody fear!
"Get outa my way lad. I can't get my breath!"
I didn't realise he was so near to death.
"Open the fence! Please! Let us out!"
That lad went under. It was his last ever shout.
Help me! Pull me up! Grab hold of my hand!
Get me out of this hellhole and into the stand!
I was safe. I survived. I was free from that hell.
How many dead? I just couldn't tell.
Looked down at the pitch, there was that lad.
A man weeping over him. That man was his Dad.
He was trying to revive him with the kiss of life.
But that lad was gone. How would his Dad tell his wife?
Many years on. Still no justice done.
That man's still grieving for his dear son.
Was it me? Was it my fault? Was I to blame?
I still ask myself at the Eternal Flame.

The Real Laoislad · April 14, 2009, 10:47:29 PM

Quote from: under the bar on April 14, 2009, 10:44:30 PM
QuoteAs far as the South Yorkshire Police are concerned ... I always found them at matches to be a shower of ignorant f**kers as far as their behaviour towards fans inside and outside the ground was concerned, so I wasn't surprised that they were responsiible for the manslaughter of 96 people, even though none of them have even been done for it, the b**tards...

Whilst there were lots of combined errors of judgement on that day I don't think anyone set out to injure or kill people so it's unfair to lay it all at the door of the South Yorkshire Police, albeit it would have helped if they'd held their hands up to their role in it at an earlier stage. A tragic day and I expect everyone, FA, police, stewards, Liverpool fans and press would have all played it differently in hindsight. Thankfully lessons were learned but at great cost.

I would agree with that..

Gabriel_Hurl · April 14, 2009, 10:47:36 PM

Everton fans at Villa Park on Sunday

The Real Laoislad · April 14, 2009, 10:48:56 PM

Quote from: Gabriel_Hurl on April 14, 2009, 10:47:36 PM
Everton fans at Villa Park on Sunday

Not surprised with that,Im sure alot of Everton fans lost relatives at Hillsborough