Hillsborough - 35 years ago today

[manimanc]

We were away at Blackburn for a 4 nil tonking. I remember listening to what had happened on BBC Radio on a car radio in the pub car park after the match. The lies about the dippers storming a gate had already started.

I think what has unfolded in the years since have shown how we as football fans were treated by the authorities in that era. It showed how we were all thought of as scum. Unfortunately, it took an incident like this to initiate the changes that were required to get to a situation where football fans could be treated properly.

RIP

I was on the platform at the train station up the road from Blackburns ground and there was about 10 or 15 or so huddled around this lad with his pocket radio on and it said about 20 or so fans had died.
It was the only time in my life where my mum was really happy to see her then 15 year old lad walk through the front door as she thought it was our match that it happened at.
35 years is mental to think of the length of time passed.

 

[BillCarlisle]

A truly horrible day, but I can still recall waiting for my mates, and a Blackburn fan casually approaching before breaking the news: "I see Liverpool fans have been up to their old tricks again. Killed their own fans this time"

Obviously, that wasn't a true reflection, but back in April 1989, I didn't even bat an eyelid.

That was always Liverpool's stigma. It was just too close to Heysel for anyone to think differently.

I was stood in the Darwen End that day and the rumour spread that a wall had collapsed. As you say, Heysel was still in peoples' memories. It was only when we stopped off for a pint just outside Bolton that we learned the awful truth.

 

[The Colonel]

A very dark day. I was stood at Blackburn also. First news was some knob shouting that 2 scousers had died. No one knew what he was on about but was told to shut up. After on the coach everyone in silence with the radio on it sank in how bad it was and this could have happened to any one of us.
My mum very anxious when I walked in and berating me for not calling.

 

[paulchapo]

A harrowing read this. Don't worry it's not behind a pay wall the Athletic removed it for this article.

Life after Hillsborough, told by the men and women who survived

Fans who were at Hillsborough open up on the horror of having to live with the tragedy and the effect it's had on their lives

theathletic.com

 

[Scaley]

No track movement....Soltau?

I’m well familiar with Soltau but if memory serves me correctly we were around Braunschweig at the time, had one of the best punch ups ever with some Welsh Guards on Soltau but that’s another story.

 

[malg]

I’m well familiar with Soltau but if memory serves me correctly we were around Braunschweig at the time, had one of the best punch ups ever with some Welsh Guards on Soltau but that’s another story.

A fight on Soltau, whodafunkit....was this nearby??

 

[malg]

A harrowing read this. Don't worry it's not behind a pay wall the Athletic removed it for this article.

Life after Hillsborough, told by the men and women who survived

Fans who were at Hillsborough open up on the horror of having to live with the tragedy and the effect it's had on their lives

theathletic.com

I've read some harrowing stuff from that day. Not good.

 

[paulchapo]

I've read some harrowing stuff from that day. Not good.

Yes. At times it gets forgotten as the years have passed and the hatred between clubs gets stoked up. It truly was horrific and in those days it could have been any of us. As a kid I remember being caught up in a crush at the end of a game leaving the Kippax. It was terrifying. My feet were off the floor and I couldn't breath or move. Thankfully it only lasted seconds until it eased and I was released but it was a horrible feeling.

 

[spacecadet]

There were 2-3 similar incidents at Hillsborough around that period and one of them was Tottenham v Wolves on the same day as City beating Ipswich at Villa Park. In fact, if you watch the highlights you can see fans on the pitch with the game in progress.

However, I've always believed that other clubs might have received justice far quicker. Hillsborough falling just a few years after Heysel sent justice in the wrong direction.

For example, the following season, City's game at Hillsborough on New Years Day was switched to a midday kick off with hardly any notice to the travelling fans.
The media made it abundantly clear that the Police didn't want City's "hooligans" rampaging through Sheffield before the game.
It took a few more years before the authorities started listening.

We had a similar one at the Leppings Lane End a 3-2 defeat a year or so earlier around December time. Obviously packed out with Blues. After the final whistle while trying to get up to the exits it backed up the other way and people near the exits were being crushed back towards the pitch. I dislike scousers with a passion, but there was something not right about that standing area at Leppings Lane, as you say it happened a few times before.

 

[Scaley]

A fight on Soltau, whodafunkit....was this nearby??

View attachment 114500

Not only good for some scran but also telling you where your next location was going to be! Willie had better intel than the Stasi!