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Hillsborough disaster - nineteen years ago today
- Thread starter Storer68
- Start date
Storer68
New member
- Thread starter
- #42
Although it was noted that Hillsborough was considered "one of the best in the country", Sheffield Wednesday were criticised for the low number of turnstiles at the Leppings Lane end and the poor quality of the crush barriers on the terraces there. However, the Taylor Report stated that the official cause of the disaster was the failure of police control. Due to the low number of turnstiles, it has been estimated that it would have taken until 3:40 pm to get all ticket holders into the Leppings Lane end had an exit gate not been opened. Gate C was opened to let more fans in, but the total number of fans entering the terrace is not thought to have been more than the capacity of the standing area.
The disaster was caused by the fact that the majority of fans entering the terraces headed for the central pens 3 and 4. Normally a police officer or steward would direct fans away from full pens, but on that day this did not happen. The official capacity of these pens was around 2000, but the Health and Safety Executive later found that this should have been reduced to around 1600 as the crush barriers did not conform to the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds 1986. It is estimated that the number of people in these pens shortly after kick off at 3:00 pm was over 3000. This overcrowding caused the fatal crush.[8][9]
[edit] Other aggravating factors
There were accusations that the behaviour of the Liverpool fans contributed to the disaster. These centred around consumption of alcohol before the game and attempts to enter the ground without a ticket. Although Lord Taylor acknowledged that these aggravated the situation, they were only minor factors.
Witness estimates of the number of fans that were drunk varied from a minority to a large proportion of the crowd. Although it was clear that many fans had been drinking, Lord Taylor stated that most of them "were not drunk nor even the worse for drink". He concluded that they only formed an exacerbating factor.
The possibility of fans attempting to gain entry without tickets or with forgeries contributing to the disaster was also suggested. South Yorkshire police also suggested that the late arrival of fans amounted to a conspiracy in order to gain entry without tickets. However, analysis of the electronic monitoring system, Health and Safety Executive Analysis and eye witness accounts showed that there was not an excessively large number of ticketless fans. The report dismissed the conspiracy theory.
The disaster was caused by the fact that the majority of fans entering the terraces headed for the central pens 3 and 4. Normally a police officer or steward would direct fans away from full pens, but on that day this did not happen. The official capacity of these pens was around 2000, but the Health and Safety Executive later found that this should have been reduced to around 1600 as the crush barriers did not conform to the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds 1986. It is estimated that the number of people in these pens shortly after kick off at 3:00 pm was over 3000. This overcrowding caused the fatal crush.[8][9]
[edit] Other aggravating factors
There were accusations that the behaviour of the Liverpool fans contributed to the disaster. These centred around consumption of alcohol before the game and attempts to enter the ground without a ticket. Although Lord Taylor acknowledged that these aggravated the situation, they were only minor factors.
Witness estimates of the number of fans that were drunk varied from a minority to a large proportion of the crowd. Although it was clear that many fans had been drinking, Lord Taylor stated that most of them "were not drunk nor even the worse for drink". He concluded that they only formed an exacerbating factor.
The possibility of fans attempting to gain entry without tickets or with forgeries contributing to the disaster was also suggested. South Yorkshire police also suggested that the late arrival of fans amounted to a conspiracy in order to gain entry without tickets. However, analysis of the electronic monitoring system, Health and Safety Executive Analysis and eye witness accounts showed that there was not an excessively large number of ticketless fans. The report dismissed the conspiracy theory.
Easy 10
Brain dead MUG SHEEP
As an aside, I've just noticed that today is the 25th Anniversary of the Albions SF against Sheffield Weds.
Cheshire Cat
The most curious thing..
Hillsborough remembered: Theyll never walk alone - Liverpool Echo.co.uk
Hillsborough remembered: They’ll never walk alone
Apr 16 2008 by Ben Turner, Liverpool Echo
A CHARITY match between Liverpool and Celtic players of 1989 will mark the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.
Organisers revealed the memorial game plan as more than 5,000 Reds supporters converged on Anfield for yesterday’s commemorative service, 19 years to the day the tragedy happened.
Manager Rafael Benitez, accompanied by former owner David Moores and chief executive Rick Parry, was met with rapturous applause as he led the current team, wearing black ties and suits, to their seats directly behind the Kop goal.
As predicted, warring American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett stayed away as Anfield paid another poignant tribute to the 96 who perished.
The hour-long service again saw a minute’s silence at 3.06pm, the exact moment when the FA Cup tie against Nottingham Forest was halted.
The names of the 96 who died were read out to the tranquil backdrop of May The Choir Of Angels, sung by the St Anne Stanley choir, which also received a standing ovation for its rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone.
In an emotional address to the Kop, Hillsborough family support group chairman Phil Hammond said a charity match between Liverpool and Celtic will, subject to fixtures, be staged on April 19 2009.
The teams will be made up of players from the time of the disaster.
The two clubs played a memorial days after the tragedy.
Mr Hammond, who lost his 14-year-old son Philip in the tragedy, said proceeds from the game will be split between the support group and the Marina Dalglish Appeal.
A tearful Mr Hammond said the group would continue its “fight for justice” and pleaded for Everton and Liverpool fans to put an end to the “unsavoury chanting” that darkened the recent derby.
He urged fans to again show the united front displayed after the death of Rhys Jones, adding: “We need to show why we are the Capital of Culture and capital of compassion.”
Former players Brian Hall and Gary Ablett also led the commemorations, reading from St Paul’s letter to the Romans and Corinthians chapter 15.
* ECHO comment: More important than football
* READ Hillsborough: A survivor's story here
* LEARN more about what really happened at Hillsborough here
Hillsborough For 'Dummies' - Facts Behind The Disaster - Liverpool Banter - Join the debate with LFC fans, staff writers and club legends
http://www.hfdinfo.com/
* WATCH a video tribute to the 96 here
Hillsborough remembered: They’ll never walk alone
Apr 16 2008 by Ben Turner, Liverpool Echo
A CHARITY match between Liverpool and Celtic players of 1989 will mark the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster.
Organisers revealed the memorial game plan as more than 5,000 Reds supporters converged on Anfield for yesterday’s commemorative service, 19 years to the day the tragedy happened.
Manager Rafael Benitez, accompanied by former owner David Moores and chief executive Rick Parry, was met with rapturous applause as he led the current team, wearing black ties and suits, to their seats directly behind the Kop goal.
As predicted, warring American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett stayed away as Anfield paid another poignant tribute to the 96 who perished.
The hour-long service again saw a minute’s silence at 3.06pm, the exact moment when the FA Cup tie against Nottingham Forest was halted.
The names of the 96 who died were read out to the tranquil backdrop of May The Choir Of Angels, sung by the St Anne Stanley choir, which also received a standing ovation for its rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone.
In an emotional address to the Kop, Hillsborough family support group chairman Phil Hammond said a charity match between Liverpool and Celtic will, subject to fixtures, be staged on April 19 2009.
The teams will be made up of players from the time of the disaster.
The two clubs played a memorial days after the tragedy.
Mr Hammond, who lost his 14-year-old son Philip in the tragedy, said proceeds from the game will be split between the support group and the Marina Dalglish Appeal.
A tearful Mr Hammond said the group would continue its “fight for justice” and pleaded for Everton and Liverpool fans to put an end to the “unsavoury chanting” that darkened the recent derby.
He urged fans to again show the united front displayed after the death of Rhys Jones, adding: “We need to show why we are the Capital of Culture and capital of compassion.”
Former players Brian Hall and Gary Ablett also led the commemorations, reading from St Paul’s letter to the Romans and Corinthians chapter 15.
* ECHO comment: More important than football
* READ Hillsborough: A survivor's story here
* LEARN more about what really happened at Hillsborough here
Hillsborough For 'Dummies' - Facts Behind The Disaster - Liverpool Banter - Join the debate with LFC fans, staff writers and club legends
http://www.hfdinfo.com/
* WATCH a video tribute to the 96 here
Beach Hut
Brighton Bhuna Boy
I stand by what I said to to this days that standing is finished for football.
The only way forward was all seater stadia.
Also this was the straw that broke the camels back regarding the majority of football hooliganism as well. This made many fans realise it all needed to stop.
The only way forward was all seater stadia.
Also this was the straw that broke the camels back regarding the majority of football hooliganism as well. This made many fans realise it all needed to stop.
Renns
Renns Junior
As sonn as i opened with thread, my iTunes started playing You'll never walk alone
R.I.P to the 96
R.I.P to the 96
Easy 10
Brain dead MUG SHEEP
So why arn't terraces banned in lower division football then ? An overcrowded terrace could happen at ANY level of the game. But nearly two decades on from Hillsborough, hundreds of thousands of fans are still standing on terraces week in, week out without danger or incident.
Makin stadiums all-seater was just a knee-jerk reaction to a disaster that had nothing whatsoever to do with terracing. Its a complete nonsense that you can stand on a terrace at Brentford or Yeovil, but not at a team thats in the top divisions.
Dutchess
SHIT..my hand is LUMINOUS
yes they do it every year
Brighton till i die
You havin' a bubble?
..........AND top flight in other countries - like Germany and Turkey - MASSIVE terraces with NO problems there!
Beach Hut
Brighton Bhuna Boy
Because lower divisions never attract sell outs or very rarely.
Easy 10
Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Rubbish. Big FA Cup games, promotion / relegation deciders. These all happen outside the top two leagues as well. Sure they don't come round EVERY week, but then neither do FA Cup semi finals. I've been to plenty of sold-out lower division terraces, as has your good self no doubt.
Just like any other event that attracts large crowds, if its ticketed and policed PROPERLY, then theres no risk and no problem.