The Hillsborough Tragedy.

[SamL]

It's 19 years to the day since that terrible day at Hillsborough. Spare a thought to those who so tragically lost their lives.

19 years might seem like a long time, but it's still affecting the way we watch football.

However unlikely it may be, what do people think to a rule change allowing safe standing areas? Do people think it would be rather disrespectful to those who suffered?

[Fez of Mahrez]

I got a lump in my throat at work today while reading this article, published on the Monday following the disaster.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/04/...uman_error.html

[Matt]

Wow. Shocked it's another year, Not heard a thing about it today, Normally they report on it on the news and radio, e.t.c, but not heard a thing.

RIP.

[Zingari]

titanic sank 96 years ago today

[SamL]

I got a lump in my throat at work today while reading this article, published on the Monday following the disaster.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/04/...uman_error.html

I must admit, it's extremely sad what happened. I for one hadn't actually realised it was the anniversary today, but I'd just like people to spare a thought for all those involved.

I believe the terraces have been made a scapegoat for many mistakes made by the authorities. But I suppose having all seater stadiums are the only way of eradicating the problem totally. Although, such safe standing areas could be managed easily.

Fortunately, I wasn't around when the disaster happened so I'm sorry if I'm being slightly selfish?

[SamL]

titanic sank 96 years ago today

Blimey. Coincidence how they have the same anniversary.

RIP.

[Fez of Mahrez]

I must admit, it's extremely sad what happened. I for one hadn't actually realised it was the anniversary today, but I'd just like people to spare a thought for all those involved.

I believe the terraces have been made a scapegoat for many mistakes made by the authorities. But I suppose having all seater stadiums are the only way of eradicating the problem totally. Although, such safe standing areas could be managed easily.

Fortunately, I wasn't around when the disaster happened so I'm sorry if I'm being slightly selfish?

I just hope those who are too young to remember it never have to hear about anything like it happening themselves. It was just before my 5th birthday and it's one of my first memories. I can remember nearly being crushed at Notts County in 1992 and being terrified. It could be quite frightening sometimes as a kid although I didn't stand on many terraces at that age.

While the game is driven by money to the current extent and the longer time goes on since terracing was commonplace, the further away the return of standing looks.

[SamL]

I just hope those who are too young to remember it never have to hear about anything like it happening themselves. It was just before my 5th birthday and it's one of my first memories. I can remember nearly being crushed at Notts County in 1992 and being terrified. It could be quite frightening sometimes as a kid although I didn't stand on many terraces at that age.

While the game is driven by money to the current extent and the longer time goes on since terracing was commonplace, the further away the return of standing looks.

I'm sorry you had to go through that mate. I've read into what actually happened, and I've watched quite a few television programs on it so I know just how terrible it must have been. I hope I never have to go through anything like it.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with you on your last point. Although, it could probably be done quite easily, the authorities can't risk something like it happening again. Just as we're recovering from it, with all seater stadia, some people see no need to go back to it.

At some point, demand will hopefully dictate. If less and less people are standing, it won't encourage people to stand up so even less people will stand.

I can't see anything happening about it yet.

[Sparky]

i remember it well , i would have been 8 and my dad had taken me to see city beat Chelsea 2-0 , when we got home the reports were on the TV most the night , the pictures in the following days newspapers were awful .

On the sunday it was a friends birthday and we were susposed to have a tour of the city ground (forest) with Stuart Pearce but obviously that was cancelled and replaced by a trip to mcdonalds !!

[Raj]

No one should ever lose their lives watching any event,let alone a football match.

This was just years after the Heysel incident which killed 30 odd Italians(Liverpool V Juve) resulting in English teams being banned from Europe.

At the time at our College(probably just our inbred views at the time!) some of the Liverpool 'supporters' got some stick.

"always Liverpool involved"...

"cant just watch football without someone dying"

"any trouble involves you lot"

Maybe just coincidece that the 2 worst disasters at the time involved Liverpool???

(However im sure the Bradford fire was mid 80's too)

Sorry but my anti-Liverpool views dictated that i posted something dumb,negative and made me look a bigger knob than i am.

[Simi]

i remember it well , i would have been 8 and my dad had taken me to see city beat Chelsea 2-0 , when we got home the reports were on the TV most the night , the pictures in the following days newspapers were awful .

On the sunday it was a friends birthday and we were susposed to have a tour of the city ground (forest) with Stuart Pearce but obviously that was cancelled and replaced by a trip to mcdonalds !!

Wasn't that Chelsea game the one where it kicked off big time with the Baby Squad and the Chelsea lads?

[Rt Hon Percy Longprong]

Wasn't that Chelsea game the one where it kicked off big time with the Baby Squad and the Chelsea lads?

Absolutely correct !!

[davieG]

These all happen in my time:

2 January 1971

Celtic v Rangers

The Old Firm derby attracted enormous crowds and this game at Ibrox Stadium was no different.

The match was heading for a goalless draw until Celtic scored with a minute to go, prompting a mass exodus of disappointed Rangers fans.

Although Colin Stein scored for Rangers in the last minute for 1-1 draw, many Rangers supporters were still on their way out.

But with so many fans leaving at the same time, the downward force pushed many people trying to get out to the stadium onto the ground.

The momentum of the crowd meant that once people started to fall, there was no way of holding the mass of bodies back and 66 people lost their lives, with another 140 suffering injuries.

11 May 1985

Bradford City v Lincoln City

A stray lit cigarette stub ignited a wooden terrace section at Valley Parade.

Fire soon engulfed the stand, causing 56 people to lose their lives in one of the worst tragedies in English football.

15 April 1989

Liverpool v Nottingham Forest

The worst tragedy in English football happened during an FA Cup semi-final at the Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, killing 96 people.

Police, worried about the number of Liverpool fans outside the ground, opened one of the main gates which resulted in a huge number of fans entering the Leppings Lane end.

The sudden surge crushed many Liverpool fans against the riot fencing which surrounded around the ground.

The disaster prompted huge changes in the structure of English football when Lord Justice Taylor published his report into the incident.

As sad as they all were none of them happened as result of standing much more to do with the design of the stadiums, even Hillsborough primarily the result of bad management of crowds could have been largely avoided but for perimeter fencing.

But I guess today is not really the time to discuss it.

[Ultra]

The roll of honour

John Alfred Anderson (62)

Thomas Howard (39)

Colin Mark Ashcroft (19)

Thomas Anthony Howard (14)

James Gary Aspinall (18)

Eric George Hughes (42)

Kester Roger Marcus Ball (16)

Alan Johnston (29)

Gerard Bernard Patrick Baron (67)

Christine Anne Jones (27)

Simon Bell (17)

Gary Philip Jones (18)

Barry Sidney Bennett (26)

Richard Jones (25)

David John Benson (22)

Nicholas Peter Joynes (27)

David William Birtle (22)

Anthony Peter Kelly (29)

Tony Bland (22)

Michael David Kelly (38)

Paul David Brady (21)

Carl David Lewis (18)

Andrew Mark Brookes (26)

David William Mather (19)

Carl Brown (18)

Brian Christopher Mathews (38)

David Steven Brown (25)

Francis Joseph McAllister (27)

Henry Thomas Burke (47)

John McBrien (18)

Peter Andrew Burkett (24)

Marion Hazel McCabe (21)

Paul William Carlile (19)

Joseph Daniel McCarthy (21)

Raymond Thomas Chapman (50)

Peter McDonnell (21)

Gary Christopher Church (19)

Alan McGlone (28)

Joseph Clark (29)

Keith McGrath (17)

Paul Clark (18)

Paul Brian Murray (14)

Gary Collins (22)

Lee Nicol (14)

Stephen Paul Copoc (20)

Stephen Francis O'Neill (17)

Tracey Elizabeth Cox (23)

Jonathon Owens (18)

James Philip Delaney (19)

William Roy Pemberton (23)

Christopher Barry Devonside (18)

Carl William Rimmer (21)

Christopher Edwards (29)

David George Rimmer (38)

Vincent Michael Fitzsimmons (34)

Graham John Roberts (24)

Thomas Steven Fox (21)

Steven Joseph Robinson (17)

Jon-Paul Gilhooley (10)

Henry Charles Rogers (17)

Barry Glover (27)

Colin Andrew Hugh William Sefton (23)

Ian Thomas Glover (20)

Inger Shah (38)

Derrick George Godwin (24)

Paula Ann Smith (26)

Roy Harry Hamilton (34)

Adam Edward Spearritt (14)

Philip Hammond (14)

Philip John Steele (15)

Eric Hankin (33)

David Leonard Thomas (23)

Gary Harrison (27)

Patrik John Thompson (35)

Stephen Francis Harrison (31)

Peter Reuben Thompson (30)

Peter Andrew Harrison (15)

Stuart Paul William Thompson (17)

David Hawley (39)

Peter Francis Tootle (21)

James Robert Hennessy (29)

Christopher James Traynor (26)

Paul Anthony Hewitson (26)

Martin Kevin Traynor (16)

Carl Darren Hewitt (17)

Kevin Tyrrell (15)

Nicholas Michael Hewitt (16)

Colin Wafer (19)

Sarah Louise Hicks (19)

Ian David Whelan (19)

Victoria Jane Hicks (15)

Martin Kenneth Wild (29)

Gordon Rodney Horn (20)

Kevin Daniel Williams (15)

Arthur Horrocks (41)

Graham John Wright (17)

Reading the list above brings home just how young so many of the victims were.

It remains a scandal how certain elements (including South Yorkshire Police and Sheffield Wednesday FC) conspired to prevent the truth about how so many died from being fully revealed at the inquest.

For further details go to the link below.

http://www.contrast.org/hillsborough

[SOCCERROO FOX]

About an hour ago i knew very little about The Hillsborough Tradgedy, It really is just so sad.

[SamL]

The roll of honour

John Alfred Anderson (62)

Thomas Howard (39)

Colin Mark Ashcroft (19)

Thomas Anthony Howard (14)

James Gary Aspinall (18)

Eric George Hughes (42)

Kester Roger Marcus Ball (16)

Alan Johnston (29)

Gerard Bernard Patrick Baron (67)

Christine Anne Jones (27)

Simon Bell (17)

Gary Philip Jones (18)

Barry Sidney Bennett (26)

Richard Jones (25)

David John Benson (22)

Nicholas Peter Joynes (27)

David William Birtle (22)

Anthony Peter Kelly (29)

Tony Bland (22)

Michael David Kelly (38)

Paul David Brady (21)

Carl David Lewis (18)

Andrew Mark Brookes (26)

David William Mather (19)

Carl Brown (18)

Brian Christopher Mathews (38)

David Steven Brown (25)

Francis Joseph McAllister (27)

Henry Thomas Burke (47)

John McBrien (18)

Peter Andrew Burkett (24)

Marion Hazel McCabe (21)

Paul William Carlile (19)

Joseph Daniel McCarthy (21)

Raymond Thomas Chapman (50)

Peter McDonnell (21)

Gary Christopher Church (19)

Alan McGlone (28)

Joseph Clark (29)

Keith McGrath (17)

Paul Clark (18)

Paul Brian Murray (14)

Gary Collins (22)

Lee Nicol (14)

Stephen Paul Copoc (20)

Stephen Francis O'Neill (17)

Tracey Elizabeth Cox (23)

Jonathon Owens (18)

James Philip Delaney (19)

William Roy Pemberton (23)

Christopher Barry Devonside (18)

Carl William Rimmer (21)

Christopher Edwards (29)

David George Rimmer (38)

Vincent Michael Fitzsimmons (34)

Graham John Roberts (24)

Thomas Steven Fox (21)

Steven Joseph Robinson (17)

Jon-Paul Gilhooley (10)

Henry Charles Rogers (17)

Barry Glover (27)

Colin Andrew Hugh William Sefton (23)

Ian Thomas Glover (20)

Inger Shah (38)

Derrick George Godwin (24)

Paula Ann Smith (26)

Roy Harry Hamilton (34)

Adam Edward Spearritt (14)

Philip Hammond (14)

Philip John Steele (15)

Eric Hankin (33)

David Leonard Thomas (23)

Gary Harrison (27)

Patrik John Thompson (35)

Stephen Francis Harrison (31)

Peter Reuben Thompson (30)

Peter Andrew Harrison (15)

Stuart Paul William Thompson (17)

David Hawley (39)

Peter Francis Tootle (21)

James Robert Hennessy (29)

Christopher James Traynor (26)

Paul Anthony Hewitson (26)

Martin Kevin Traynor (16)

Carl Darren Hewitt (17)

Kevin Tyrrell (15)

Nicholas Michael Hewitt (16)

Colin Wafer (19)

Sarah Louise Hicks (19)

Ian David Whelan (19)

Victoria Jane Hicks (15)

Martin Kenneth Wild (29)

Gordon Rodney Horn (20)

Kevin Daniel Williams (15)

Arthur Horrocks (41)

Graham John Wright (17)

Reading the list above brings home just how young so many of the victims were.

It remains a scandal how certain elements (including South Yorkshire Police and Sheffield Wednesday FC) conspired to prevent the truth about how so many died from being fully revealed at the inquest.

For further details go to the link below.

http://www.contrast.org/hillsborough

It's tragic, one of the victims was only 10.

Nobody should have to die doing something they love.

[Bellend Sebastian]

I was 14 when it happened and it's sobering to see on that list of names that the majority of those that perished were younger than I am now. Such a waste, and like Raj says, no one should lose their lives attending a game of football.

It may be a long time ago now but it does still very much cast a shadow over how the game is run today. I'd love to see 'safe standing' brought in but I cannot see it happening any time soon. Going to the football is a much more sterile and less exciting experience than it was 20 years ago, but on the whole it's a hell of a lot safer. If I'm honest, when I first started going in the Kop in the early 90's it was such mayhem and so completely uncontrollable that it wasn't that hard to imagine how a Hillsborough type scenario could arise in certain circumstances. The authorities will always choose safety over fun, and you cannot really argue with that.

I stood on an open terrace at Chesterfield vs Grimsby not so long ago, which up to a point was great, but some of the away support kicked off big time and the terracing made it very easy indeed for them to cause chaos. We're only talking a few dozen individuals, but imagine that in a bigger stadium with a few hundred and it soon has the potential to be very dangerous indeed. I thought then that while this crap still goes on there's a snowball's chance in hell of standing coming back. Still, we live in hope, eh?

[Thracian]

I got a lump in my throat at work today while reading this article, published on the Monday following the disaster.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/04/...uman_error.html

Reading a Guardian article is like watching Hancock's half-hour - sheer nostalgia.

Worth the read though and leaves you in no doubt what a waste of life that tragedy was and what consequences simple mistakes can bring about.

[WetFlannel]

Wasn't Steven Gerrard's cousin involved in Hillsborough?

[Kilworthfox]

The roll of honour

John Alfred Anderson (62)

Thomas Howard (39)

Colin Mark Ashcroft (19)

Thomas Anthony Howard (14)

James Gary Aspinall (18)

Eric George Hughes (42)

Kester Roger Marcus Ball (16)

Alan Johnston (29)

Gerard Bernard Patrick Baron (67)

Christine Anne Jones (27)

Simon Bell (17)

Gary Philip Jones (18)

Barry Sidney Bennett (26)

Richard Jones (25)

David John Benson (22)

Nicholas Peter Joynes (27)

David William Birtle (22)

Anthony Peter Kelly (29)

Tony Bland (22)

Michael David Kelly (38)

Paul David Brady (21)

Carl David Lewis (18)

Andrew Mark Brookes (26)

David William Mather (19)

Carl Brown (18)

Brian Christopher Mathews (38)

David Steven Brown (25)

Francis Joseph McAllister (27)

Henry Thomas Burke (47)

John McBrien (18)

Peter Andrew Burkett (24)

Marion Hazel McCabe (21)

Paul William Carlile (19)

Joseph Daniel McCarthy (21)

Raymond Thomas Chapman (50)

Peter McDonnell (21)

Gary Christopher Church (19)

Alan McGlone (28)

Joseph Clark (29)

Keith McGrath (17)

Paul Clark (18)

Paul Brian Murray (14)

Gary Collins (22)

Lee Nicol (14)

Stephen Paul Copoc (20)

Stephen Francis O'Neill (17)

Tracey Elizabeth Cox (23)

Jonathon Owens (18)

James Philip Delaney (19)

William Roy Pemberton (23)

Christopher Barry Devonside (18)

Carl William Rimmer (21)

Christopher Edwards (29)

David George Rimmer (38)

Vincent Michael Fitzsimmons (34)

Graham John Roberts (24)

Thomas Steven Fox (21)

Steven Joseph Robinson (17)

Jon-Paul Gilhooley (10)

Henry Charles Rogers (17)

Barry Glover (27)

Colin Andrew Hugh William Sefton (23)

Ian Thomas Glover (20)

Inger Shah (38)

Derrick George Godwin (24)

Paula Ann Smith (26)

Roy Harry Hamilton (34)

Adam Edward Spearritt (14)

Philip Hammond (14)

Philip John Steele (15)

Eric Hankin (33)

David Leonard Thomas (23)

Gary Harrison (27)

Patrik John Thompson (35)

Stephen Francis Harrison (31)

Peter Reuben Thompson (30)

Peter Andrew Harrison (15)

Stuart Paul William Thompson (17)

David Hawley (39)

Peter Francis Tootle (21)

James Robert Hennessy (29)

Christopher James Traynor (26)

Paul Anthony Hewitson (26)

Martin Kevin Traynor (16)

Carl Darren Hewitt (17)

Kevin Tyrrell (15)

Nicholas Michael Hewitt (16)

Colin Wafer (19)

Sarah Louise Hicks (19)

Ian David Whelan (19)

Victoria Jane Hicks (15)

Martin Kenneth Wild (29)

Gordon Rodney Horn (20)

Kevin Daniel Williams (15)

Arthur Horrocks (41)

Graham John Wright (17)

Reading the list above brings home just how young so many of the victims were.

It remains a scandal how certain elements (including South Yorkshire Police and Sheffield Wednesday FC) conspired to prevent the truth about how so many died from being fully revealed at the inquest.

For further details go to the link below.

http://www.contrast.org/hillsborough

Without doubt the best post you have ever written.

[SystonFox]

It's tragic, one of the victims was only 10.

Nobody should have to die doing something they love.

he was steven gerrards cousin and good friend too

[Uncle Albert]

Jon-Paul Gilhooley (10)

That was Steven Gerrard cousin.

My Mum and Dad went to Anfield even though they dont support Liverpool and went and put flowers down on the Anfield pitch.

[Ultra]

A new website has been set up by the mother of one of the victims.

http://www.hopeforhillsborough.org

Another year has passed, and still the fight for justice goes on..

[Dr The Singh]

A new website has been set up by the mother of one of the victims.

http://www.hopeforhillsborough.org

Another year has passed, and still the fight for justice goes on..

That's pathetic comming from you, you know nothing about justice, hypocrite!!

I remember this event, I remember my fondness for Liverpool, what a tragidty!!!

[purpleronnie]

I remember I had come back from a tennis match and saw it on TV I can't remember really realizing what was happening at the time and had no idea how it would change football in england.

RIP.