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A Panorama documentary to be broadcast tonight backs claims police, including Sir Norman Bettison, saw the disaster as an opportunity to further their career.
It includes an interview with a retired police officer who claims former Merseyside chief constable Mr Bettison, at the time a chief inspector in South Yorkshire, was aware of efforts to hide the truth within hours of the tragedy.
The programme, to be shown tonight, includes never-before-broadcast footage which has pieced together key incidents during the course of the disaster.
It supports the claims of campaigning mum Anne Williams , who died last month, that her 15-year-old son Kevin was alive long after the official 3.15pm cut-off time set during the original inquest process.
And the footage reveals there was a third ambulance on the pitch during rescue attempts – backing an off-duty police officer’s evidence that he tried to save Kevin’s life after 3.30pm.
Former home secretary Jack Straw, quizzed over his handling of the conclusions of a 1998 report which ruled out a further public inquiry, admits he “got it wrong”.
The raft of revelations come in the one-hour documentary made by BBC Panorama reporter Peter Marshall, who attended the match on April 15, 1989.
Liverpool FC fans spill on to the pitch at Hillsborough Stadium's Leppings Lane end during the semi final against Nottingham Forest
Among his interviewees is Clive Davis, a South Yorkshire police officer who went to a briefing with Mr Bettison on the Sunday after the disaster.
He says: “I was working with a senior officer at that time, it was Chief Inspector Norman Bettison.
“He said he was keen for us to go to a briefing.
“This is an opportunity for us to get ourselves recognised, those were his words to me.”
Mr Davis told Panorama it was agreed at that meeting that the police strategy was to ensure blame was placed on “drunken ticketless Liverpool supporters.”
Hillsborough Family Support Group chair Margaret Aspinall said: “I had heard about that comment.
“That says it all - this was their way of making a name for themselves.”
Mrs Aspinall, whose son James, 18, died at Hillsborough added: “There are still doubters out there, and I think it will be great for them to see this and see why the families and the fans have stuck together for so long.”
Steve Kelly of the Hillsborough Justice Campaign, who lost his brother Mike, said: “It is clear there was a process of people seeing this as a springboard for their careers.
“There were 25,000 Liverpool supporters there and they all came back with the same story about what happened. It is good to see that is now being supported and shown to people.”
The hour-long documentary includes an interview with Dr John Ashton, who attended the match and publicly questioned the organisation of the emergency services.
He claims attempts were made to keep him quiet.
Footage included in the programme also supports the evidence of off-duty Merseyside policeman Derek Bruder.
He said Kevin Williams was alive when he reached him on the pitch.
This had previously been dismissed as He recalled getting to Kevin as an ambulance came on to the pitch.
Original coroner Dr Stefan Popper said only two ambulances were at the scene, and both had arrived before 3.15pm.
But pictures show a third vehicle, which came on to the pitch at 3.35pm – supporting claims Kevin was alive long after the coroner had decided was possible.
Footage shows PC Bruder running towards Kevin after 3.30pm.
Mr Kelly said: “It is through people like Anne Williams, John Glover, other families and survivors, that people began to realise what had really happened.
“Their determination is showing through and I hope anyone with any doubts will watch this documentary.”
* Hillsborough: How They Buried the Truth is shown tonight at 9pm on BBC One.
