No one intended to kill football fans at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest 27 years ago. In 1989 British football stadiums were inherently unsafe, many of us felt in danger at the regular crushing entering and leaving grounds.
Crowd management was considered a control issue, not a safety one. In England, fences penned spectators in to prevent pitch invasions.
Hillsborough had staged many FA Cup semi-finals, including one the previous year between the same two clubs, so no proper thought or planning went into the game. During the 80s measures to control the crowd increased, while Sheffield Wednesday, who played home games at the ground, seldom came near the stadium’s capacity. The mean the stadium was unprepared for anything out of the ordinary, and the police were completely unprepared.
Access gates were open to relieve pressure on turnstiles which were inadequate to deal with a crowd of that size – a common, but dangerous, occurrence at the time.
Control measures were such that what was once a terrace area open from one side to another had been sectioned off. Once you were in one pen the only route out was to leave the terrace via the long tunnel underneath the Leppings Lane stand that fans used to enter the terrace. The two pens at the wide end of the terrace were under-filled, while the central two were crushed.
No one entering a tunnel knew if there was crushing ahead and there was no way to segregate fans off into available pens. Anyone attempting to exit through the tunnel would have been met by a large crowd of people trying to go the opposite way.
The system was stupidly crazy by design. Any Health and Safety attention would have deemed the terrace unsafe the moment the tall fences went up to prevent overspill onto the pitch area. It was a fatal incident waiting to happen.
Once the incident was underway South Yorkshire Police failed the victims spectacularly. Officers were watching the fatal crush from yards away but were unwilling to raise the alarm. They ignored terrified pleas from fans. After evidence of fatalities first arose, they turned ambulances away, delaying treatment to casualties for a crucial period.
When the incident was over the police invoked a smear campaign against the victims. Lies were told. Newspapers bought into the conspiracy, among others. The bereaved were left on their own to defend the memory of their lost ones as inquiries bathed all in whitewash.
There will be an understandable demand for prosecutions now, but for those who died 27 years ago, and many of their loved ones, it’s all too late. I hope the survivors gain some small comfort from today’s inquest verdict of unlawful killing. The torture they went through listening to the official lies must have been unbearable.
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The politics of dancing
MACJAY1 FOR NEIL LENNON on 27TH APRIL 2016 10:22 AM
QUONNO on 27TH APRIL 2016 10:19 AM
A bit late catching up.
And who opened the door to Murdoch`s purchase of respectable newspaper titles in U.K. ?
I honestly don’t know the answer to that one.
Mind you, I would be interested to see a list of RESPECTABLE newspaper titles in UK.
“Genuine question-is there a bar on that?”
Bobby,
Is a bar always a prerequisite to you? ;)
Joking aside, I was only posting in the interests of fairness.
First it was there’s never been a Catholic in the SNP cabinet. Now there is its “will there ever be a SNP leader?”
As far as I know, labour is the only party never to have a rc leader.
Both labour and SNP have lots of things to be panned over. More so the latter. I just think this is a rubbidge thing to pan them over.
HH
TONY DONNELLY67 on 27TH APRIL 2016 10:34 AM
Bmcw
Tories, SNP? I’v yet to see the difference , two cheeks from the same arse, both hell bent on destroying the Labour Party, and have a great distaste for anything Glasgow, and don’t be kidded by Sturgeon either, ask anyone from Govanhill who live in her ward, oh and hey! Wonder what chances are of there ever being a leader of the SNP being an RC,? Aye right, about as much chance as Ian Paisley making his first holy communion.
Problem with Labour Party in Scotland is that it spent too much time and energy hating the SNP and being consumed with in fighting. Knives,, of the in the back variety are already being sharpened for Dugdale.
The SNP are opportunists who will say anything to win a vote.
They have changed their vision of an independent Scotland from a Celtic tiger to a Scandinavian style economy.
GEORDIE MUNRO on 27TH APRIL 2016 11:32 AM
“Genuine question-is there a bar on that?”
Just for the hell of it.
I believe that Labour’s ‘Father of The Nation’ Donald Dewar did not enjoy much of a reputation for ecuminism.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 27TH APRIL 2016 11:20 AM
MACJAY
Respectfully,I suggest that living standards have changed in most countries in the last forty years.
=================================================================
Some for the better.
Bobby.
Ideology is the enemy of creative thinking .
Confucius he say.
TIMALOY29 SLEEPS ON THE HEATED DRIVEWAY on 27TH APRIL 2016 11:35 AM
The SNP are opportunists who will say anything to win a vote.
They have changed their vision of an independent Scotland from a Celtic tiger to a Scandinavian style economy.
Compile a list of politicians who are not opportunists.
Scary crowd moments.
1) Hundump. Scottish Cup Final 1985 v Dundee Utd. 2-1
Arriving at the ground, at the corner between Celtic end and North “Stand”. We were herded in to the perimeter wall, by police on foot, and on horses. A crush started, and my feet were about four people behind my head, as I got swept towards the perimeter wall. I could hardly breathe. A guy next to me got stood on by a horse, and was screamin’ at the copper to flock off. The copper just told him to watch it, or he would be lifted. Me and a few others were forced to lean into the horse to try to push it away (it was that or get mashed against the wall). What followed was the first, and to date only, time I have seen a guy punch a horse (the guy who got stood on). It was a belter, right on the throat, and the horse was spooked and started doing bouncy 360’s, that eventually led to the horse and copper being spat out of the melee, closely followed by me and half a dozen others who seized our chance to escape, as the crazy horse ploughed a corridor through the crowd.
2) Easter Road, league v Hibs 1980? 2-2
This was one of only two times I saw George Best in the flesh. He scored in a 2-2 draw. Was in the terracing behind the goal, with a great view of a brammer by Murdo MacLeod. Leaving that ground was crazy. Everyone in that terracing exiting by going to the back of the terracing, and turning right into a ridiculous crush. The natural crush creating topography, was ably supported by aggressive policing. Felt at one point as if I wasn’t going to get out of that one.
3) Love Street, league, Scottish Cup Replay 1980, 2-3 aet.
Had to look this up to check the date. Didn’t work at the time (student), and had partaken in a copious measure of beer, from a lunchtime session in the Press Bar with a mate from Stirling, big Pat. Pat was actually a Stirling Albion fan, but a great Tim. On trying to head home, we were spotted by some mates who were going to the game, and they easily talked us in to going with them. The crowd was boisterous, and everyone seemed to be drinking. I was really not fit to attend, and was only occasionally watching the game through one eye, as things went a bit spinny if I tried to use both eyes. We were awarded a penalty (I think Bobby Lennox took it). And I was struggling to light a fag. On lighting it, the fag fell out of my mouth and I stupidly bent forward to pick it up, just as we scored. I was knocked to the ground. I curled up in a ball, as fans trampled over me, in the forward surge the crowd took in the aftermath of the goal, I took more than one kick to the head. I didn’t know where or how this would end up, when suddenly a gap appeared in the crowd above me, and a big hand swooped down to pick me up by the jacket to fresh air and safety. Cheers Pat!
Thinking back to these three incidents, one was caused by poor (or even possibly malevolent) policing and stewarding, one was caused by bad stadium design in relation to access and egress, and one was caused by stupidity and alcohol excess. I don’t attend many games nowadays, but friends and my daughter do, and it sounds as if the latter two reasons are sorted, or at least on the wane, but the former is still an issue.
Hail Hail to the 96 and their surviving friends and family. YNWA
QUONNO on 27TH APRIL 2016 11:29 AM
The Times and Sunday Times print unions whose members were well heeled enough to strike for one year , no less.
Enter Rupert……….and Fox……and the alienation of Scottish fiba` from the big money.
BMCUW
Hope you are well.
Appreciate the info. Maybe I missed the reply or the smiley/irony thang?
DBBIA believes that the standards on the blog are in decline…
My wife buys most of her curry spices online.
Does that qualify her as an eCuminist?
http://yesworld.com/2015/06/yes-uk-european-tour-spring-2016-fragile-drama/
Tour starts tonite in Glasgow
At one time owned everything they produced until 1980. Never saw them live and will never watch Chris Squire play that Rickenbacker… Dammit!!
Catching up for lost time (and a word)
RoundaboutCSC
Did anyone hear the man city full backs interview at full time last night?
“We’re only at half time in the tie. It’s not over till the fat lady sings. We gave 110% tonight. Goals win games and away goals count double.”
It was the French guy Gael somebody.
HH
ERNIE LYNCH on 27TH APRIL 2016 11:26 AM
Disagree.
She attempted to convert nationalised industries , all loss making , into profitable entities.
Steel making. Loss making
Shipbuilding . Loss making.
Unprofitable mines.
All subsidised by profitable tax paying entities.
“After a while you run out of other peoples money.”
Niteall .
TBB
…….Yer wife’s name………
Rosemary?
GER57
I make no secret of my loathing for both,but I don’t recall mentioning the SNP to MACJAY.
I recall that The Sun trashed the name of Celtic supporters for ahem,
coughing they’re way through the mins silence for the ibrokes disaster when
Sammi cuffed thum at ne’erday.
Bill Leckie from the Sun said that – “…Celtic supporters coughed they’re way through the mins silence.”
Fans phoned into the SSB about the comments in the Sun.
Hugh Keevins said – “Anyone who tries to create mischief out of this is, is needing to take a good look at themselves – The Celtic supporters observation of the mins silence was, beyond exemplary.”
Hugh Keevins Ar La…. a bigger Tim than, the ‘entire’ Celtic hierarchy put the gither…imho.
Bankiebhoy
She certainly takes her thyme.
Agreed the mines etc were loss making, but at least they were providing jobs and wages, wages that were getting spent in the local communities, taxes that the government were coining in, providing untold jobs in the community to other trades.
So what does Thatcher do, close them down, destroying communities, throw hundreds of thousands on to the dole hence costing the country much more that it would have by subsidising the loss making mines etc.
The policies of fools and scum imo.
” She certainly takes her thyme ” .
Very sage .
I’m no economist but what I could never understand about Thatcher and her cronies was their determination to move us from an industrial to a service economy.
They destroyed whole communities and paved the way for the likes of zero hours contracts……..Am I missing something?
Cameron banging on about the justice.
Wonder what his view was at the time…
Macjay1
You are absolutely correct; Glasgow is a far better place now than it was years ago. Of course there is still a long, long way to go, but the Labour administrations have generally done a fair job.
Sometimes the Labour movement should consider the alternatives prior to putting unelectable dogma in front of the people.
The ordinary working need a sensible option. After all it is they who bare the brunt of Tory austerity.
HH.
new article posted.
TET,
Of course, that is where the trickle-down economics kicks in and ‘compensates’ for the lack of jobs. Except it doesn’t as lots of money is siphoned offshore and not even spent in this country. There’s not even commensurate levels of money being raised from taxation on the money being earned or spent.
All in it together – they think we button up the back.
HUNDERBIRDS ARE GONE on 27TH APRIL 2016 11:37 AM
___________________________________________________________
Great post fella, Hail Hail.
Was at the 3 of those games.
I was lucky enough to miss the crushing in the 1, 2, games
but, what I recall about the Love Street game was that, the rumours at the time were
that about 10,000 were locked outside the stadium that night.I didn’t get in till shortly before half time.
But, before we got in I remember seeing lots of fans waving whie hankies in the air as fans were fainting in the crushing at the turnstyles, very scary.
I witnessed this again in the Real Madrid game at Celtic Park were we, a group of us 15 / 20 all had tickets but, didny get using them as we couldn’t get in through the gates so, we walked all round the stadium outside and, got to the Rangers end and, the houses at the back had gardens behind the perimiter walls.
There were blokes from the houses with sets of ladders running from, the garden then drop over the wall and ye were inside the stadium. The blokes took a couple of quid and – ye were in.
Anyway, we made our way round to the Jungle but, we usually stood behind the white number 9 exit at, the Rangers end of the Jungle(if ye know what I mean:)….well, that was stowed oot so, we made our way up to the back of the Jungle, climbed up onto the ledge and were hanging on to a big thick metal pipe than ran the length of the Jungle. In front of us was the same as Love street with, fans waving white hankies as fans fainted due to the crushing – really scary.
The 2-0 victory was one of the best that Jungle had ever seen…imho
Sadly, we went out in the next leg then….blew a 10 point lead to, lose the title to Aberdeen(my favorite 2nd team coz, they hate the huns more than us:)…..that was made up for when, we skelped the huns in the SCF and in the riot afterwards.
Hail Hail.
.
‘Unlawful Killing’
A Very Emotive Heading for a Article..
In the Last 3 Pages..Me and another say 5 or 6 other Posters..Posted something in Relation to the Article’s Headline..
Not one Person Responded to Any of these Posts as Far as i can See..
In Amongst these 3 Pages our Friend from Poland reminded the Blog of Pablophanques Passing 5 Years.. ago..Only DBBIA responded as far a l can See..in 150 Posts..
Tragic..
Too many even the Good Posters of Yesteryear More interested in Arguing and Points-Scoring about everything and anything apart from Celtic or even Football..;(
l have always said try and Never Slag off CQN as it was my Only place of Solace at times in the Last 11 Years..
But..
CQN is Now my Fifth or Six Blog/Website that l Look at Now when l open my Phone/Laptop..That just happened over the last 2 Years.. l Didn’t Flounce..I Didn’t slag off or Argue with other Posters to make this Happen..It just happened..
Why..?
Yours in Dismay..
001
B T
BRILL AT 8.53 AM… YOU WURNAE SHOUTING LOUD ENUFF!!!!
THE BATTERED BUNNET on 27TH APRIL 2016 11:25 AM
From last blog – My wardrobe is in a mess
Cannot tell my curled up winklepickers from my battered bunnets :-)
Thanks for taking time to clarify – apprciated!
HH
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appointment_of_Church_of_England_bishops#Current_procedures
For the benefit of anyone who still thinks that an RC Prime Minister is going to happen anytime soon…
Read it and weep!
Love St 86. Definitely in my top 10 Celtic experiences.
Can’t wait to celebrate tomorrow in front of the pond life who occupy the main stand next to our section.
Ann Budge will no doubt make her annual statement on the state of the nation next week !
Silly old bitter wifey.