The sad thing is that stand was to demolished after that game :( and it two sad eventsValley parade in 1985 and Hillsborough in 1989 for football to get its act togetherWooden stands in the 80's is a disgrace though - back then fans made up more of a clubs revenue yet were still treated like an afterthought
I’m just at the part now. And just prior, purely done for the doc, was the guy who thought his brother had died but was there at home. He looked more broken than her. Such an unimaginable contrast of emotions.I watched the documentary last night. I thought it was very tastefully done and all the people that featured were a credit to the football club and the city of Bradford.
Especially heartbreaking was the poor woman who lost her sons and husband.
Such a strong dignified woman who has gone through the worst hell possible.
Respect and peace to everyone associated with Bradford.
Horrendous event, mate, and somewhat whitewashed because of events that transpired in its wake; never forgotten for those directly impacted mind, however, pigeon holed all the same….Truly the forgotten disaster, and for this reason I honestly think it should be in the main thread not the general football thread. Forty years ago yesterday, and yet rarely spoken about or written about. If you’ve not seen it there’s a superb documentary that was on bbc2 last night, I recorded it and am just taking a break from it as it’s quite upsetting, but very well produced. RIP the Bradford 56, tragically gone, but you should never be forgotten. It was the day we beat Charlton 5 1, Blues of an age will never forget that, nor should we forget this. Staggering there had been fires at 4 major grounds with wooden stands including Norwich Brentford and Brighton yet nothing had been done, and nobody could escape from the back of the stand as all the turnstiles were locked
Yeah I will always remember Blackburn away for Hillsborough and Charlton at home for Bradford. Hillsborough, rightly, gets remembered very regularly and very high profile from Sky etc, Bradford there’s rarely a word. Impossible to watch that documentary and see the women who lost her husband and two sons and not get teary eyed.Horrendous event, mate, and somewhat whitewashed because of events that transpired in its wake; never forgotten for those directly impacted mind, however, pigeon holed all the same….
A melting pot of potential disasters are sugarcoated by near misses; I was at Blackburn day of Hillsborough, if not for a mounted policeman, I’d of been a gonna, 9 years of age at the time and to this day still suffer fleeting moments of anxiety in packed space; don’t mean to minimise the ordeals, just an indictment of deplorable practices of the time!!
Yes I know there is. My point is it should be in the main forum, (a) to do our bit about NOT forgetting such a huge tragedy and (b) draw the attention of people in the main forum to the excellent bbc 2 documentary on this tragedy. As my original post said.Thread already on GF forum.
RIP to those that perished, never forgotten.Yes I know there is. My point is it should be in the main forum, (a) to do our bit about NOT forgetting such a huge tragedy and (b) draw the attention of people in the main forum to the excellent bbc 2 documentary on this tragedy. As my original post said.
Plus the Heysel stadium disaster barely 3 weeks after the Bradford fire.The sad thing is that stand was to demolished after that game :( and it two sad eventsValley parade in 1985 and Hillsborough in 1989 for football to get its act together
I never knew it was just before it was to be pulled down, or more likely I’d forgotten. Like Heysel, Bradford is the tragedy that is rarely mentionedI went to see this yesterday in Bradford. It was a tear jerker.
It’s so sad that the stand was due to be pulled down and replaced the following Monday.
https://bradford2025.co.uk/event/the-56/
I don’t think it’s forgotten as such. Just that The Bradford fans/people have moved and dealt with it in a dignified manner and with respect. I certainly will always remember it and I have no affiliation whatsoever with the club or the city. I was 4 when it happened but I remember watching the news that night. It’s something that even at such a young age I remember.Thread moved from main forum to here - as I said the forgotten tragedy that’s hardly mentioned.
A reposting from another thread.The Bradford fire created a hero that day. Dr David Sharpe led the team treating the victims. The demand was so great that he had to wing it, inventing new techniques on the fly. He realised afterwards that knowledge of burns was lacking and so founded a new research body which developed ways to speed up recovery by reducing scarring and pain. These are used all round the world now benefitting thousands who have suffered major burns, He was awarded the OBE for his efforts.
Professor Sharpe, as he became, operated on me for a cancerous growth inside my lip. I looked like Cliff Pilchard afterwards with a strange tic in the corner of my mouth. His plastic surgery on me meant I returned to normal very quickly. The much loved Sharpe died a couple of years ago much missed by his colleagues, his patients and, of course, his loved ones. Google him.
I think in all honesty the City as a whole didnt want it turning into a media circus and probably doesnt to this day ...........but folk need to learn of how much the games has grown and how the facilties have changed and it sadly two horrific tragedies for this to happen :(I don’t think it’s forgotten as such. Just that The Bradford fans/people have moved and dealt with it in a dignified manner and with respect. I certainly will always remember it and I have no affiliation whatsoever with the club or the city. I was 4 when it happened but I remember watching the news that night. It’s something that even at such a young age I remember.
Also my parents were talking about it today and again have no affiliation with Bradford and even my mum said she remembered it and it was horrific.
I think the problem is some people lump this in with hillsborough and where that was in the news a lot but that was mainly to do with enquiries and the various trials that followed. I think now a lot of the families are happy for this to settle down and for the dead to be respected and for everyone to move on as best they can.
Heysel is a different kettle of fish and I think we all know why that disaster doesn’t want to be brought to the national consciousness again.
For context who know really remembers the pipa alpha disaster/King’s Cross/clapham rail disaster or zebrugge or even Lockerbie. The passing of time and the passing of the people that were there are diminishing and also I get the impression that the people of Bradford are quite content to mark the anniversary and to look out for each other and don’t need for it to be banded about or worn as a badge of honour.
I respect the club and the fans and it was a truly truly terrible disaster and one that the people of Bradford won’t forget and in the cold light of day that’s all that really matters for them.
Rip to all and condolences to those that are affected still to this day but go about their lives as best they can.