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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I hope Charles Green wasn`t booing the Champions League anthem…………………..
CCB
It is, it’s called The Monster The Mentalpause and Me, by JL Emslie.
No idea of the cost, not my dept. but I don’t think the kindle is expensive.
HH
Glendalystonsils
It’s Gordon_J the man to ask, I think.
Not been on for a while.
HH!!
Has the gung ho attitude of the police changed since Hillsborough? Consider the Gallowgate kettling and subsequent press focus on 13 arrests, only 2 of which resulted in convictions. The report into it commissioned by the Celtic Trust was ignored by the media as well and the police and PF office pushed the cases even when it was obvious they were on to a loser.
!!Bada Bing!! on 26th April 2016 8:16 pm
I am going to Crowdfund to buy a horse.The horse wins The Derby,and produces another 200 champion reacehorses,thanks very much ,you have need me very rich,without me spending a penny. Far fetched of course,but I think these things can get out of hand.
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Are you sure you are understanding how crowd funding works.
Using your example, if you crowd fund the horse everyone that helped crowd fund it would earn a share of the winnings/or a share of the horse.
You aren’t asking people to crowd fund and they get nothing back, there always has to be something on offer before they agree to give you money.
TALLYBHOY on 26TH APRIL 2016 8:23 PM
I should have looked at the book to check, but the missus will just complain if the table starts wobbling again-:))
Bada @2018
:D
HH
sj can’t be long around when deila goes
I published a book on the Spanish Civil war for Kindle via Amazon books. No initial cost but a percentage of sales go to Amazon.
NO BOBBY DOES IT PETTA on 26TH APRIL 2016 8:08 PM
TET
Did the gaffer have any success with the book?
Currently writing and would be interested to learn of other’s experiences.
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Found this link on Gordon’s “Double Trouble” website – maybe it will be of some help>
http://www.meetup.com/GlasgowWriters/
HH
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/dec/17/hillsborough-disaster-police-masonic-conspiracy
John Nicholson SNP MP tweeted this earlier
You live in a wee footie micro world. No one cares. Vote for your footie party. We will vote for a government.
East Dumbarton MP
Crowdfunding .
In recent times I have crowdfunded the reissue of some Jazz Lps and EPs .Worked for me.!
The Huddle-correct me if I’m wrong,Paul is giving away signed jerseys.caps etc,a sweetener rather than being a Shareholder? HH
This was in relation to the OBA
Livvy 1 Sevco 0
“sj can’t be long around when deila goes”
Ivehadtochange,
How so?
HH
Thanks for the answers on the Man C booing, I didn’t know that, looks like they gonny get another fine,
!!BADA BING!! on 26TH APRIL 2016 8:18 PM
G64 colours books in,Gordon J is the man I think…
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Nice on Bada….sending that to the big mhan :O)
!!BADA BING!! on 26TH APRIL 2016 8:32 PM
Livvy 1 Sevco 0
It’s a wonder they’re allowed to televise CL fitba on a night when Sevco are playing-:)
Pep Warburton will make a tactical genius move, and all will be well.
BT
I am sure the SNP have no intention of reviewing or changing their mind on the OBAF act, the ask the people if they want the government to tackle secterianism , get a yes response from many, then come up with a bill with no mention of secterianism but offensiveness, I think few care thats the problem.
!!Bada Bing!! on 26th April 2016 8:31 pm
The Huddle-correct me if I’m wrong,Paul is giving away signed jerseys.caps etc,a sweetener rather than being a Shareholder? HH
————
He’s offering you the book plus there are options to pay more to get more (i.e. book that is signed).
In your Horse example the funders received nothing back so why would you receive any funders.
Basically for £10 you get a copy of Paul’s book. All you doing is pre-ordering it.
Glendalys,
It isn’t televised.
He’s in the away end ;p
HH
BLANTYRETIM IS PRAYING FOR THE KNOX FAMILY on 26TH APRIL 2016 8:30 PM
John Nicholson SNP MP tweeted this earlier
You live in a wee footie micro world. No one cares. Vote for your footie party. We will vote for a government.
East Dumbarton MP
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Very insensitive to Tweet that on today of all days. Show how disconnected they are. Small little world eh? Irony.
Very poor fair semi final, urine actually .
Tony,
I don’t think they were ever punished for booing.
The fine was due to financial fair play. The booing (in part) is down to that.
HH
Glendalys,
Just read your post properly. Doh
HH
Now Labour have an opportunity to come out ALL Guns blazing !
Eh postal voters have done so before manifesto……
Nope…they dont get it
BLANTYRETIM
Thanks for the post. Hopefully no Celtic supporter in East Dunbarton votes for that Muppet.
Celtic supporters in each constituency should be asking the same question of SNP candidate and publishing responses here. HH
Geordie
as long as he’s got his xxxxl Sevco top and his halloween mask on he should be ok.
Glen D-you’re on form today. :)
Back to footers
TET
Thanks. Not on the FB but will google. Cheers.
Warburton doing commentary on man city game?
Respect mentioned about a dozen times already!
GEORDIE MUNRO on 26TH APRIL 2016 8:39 PM
Tony,
I don’t think they were ever punished for booing.
The fine was due to financial fair play. The booing (in part) is down to that.
HH
Awe? Ok thanks
The Huddle-thanks for the chat,we will agree to differ my friend HH
North Cyprus
Cheers. Will check out the link.