Hillsborough disaster, where were you?

[purple]

I was in the City Centre choosing my wedding ring when we saw, what we thought, was a pitch invasion.

I was due to go to hospital on the Monday for physio on my broken finger.I never went, I thought they had enough to deal with.My finger is still bent.

[staninoodle]

I was on the kop,i lived about 15 mins walk from the ground,set of early in anticipation of long ques about 2 pm ish.

Id attended most of the semis at hillsbro since the late 60s,having a contact in the ticket office,i got tickets readily.

The pre match between both sets of fans was typical for a big game,plenty of banter,mostly good natured,pubs were packed,and around the ground was teeming.

All seemed well initially,but it was noticable that behind the goal there seemed to be tension between fans and police,from our distance we couldnt tell what it was,as fans started to scale fences,we assumed that it had got out of control,then off went the players,more and more fans came over the fences,and the buzz around the kop was that it had escalated into a riot between the OB and scousers,eventually i left around half 3 ish,the forest fans were fuming,still unaware as to the REAL cause,and there were long debates around the kop about wether to leave or wait to see if order was restored,but gradually the fans trickled away.

I got home to the full story about 4 pm ish.

This subjects been debated and closed on SF before,it evokes much emotion and debate about the wider issues,and the implications,it was a day that touched many peoples lives.

My overwhelming view was,that it was avoidable,but not unforseen by many football supporters at many other clubs.

Wider issues such as drink and the behaviour of the fans have been cited as excuses,but iv seen that behaviour at games many times without any loss of life.

[butterley 68]

I was visiting sheffield and it was my 21st birthday,my sister in law was a nurse at the time and she ran down to ground but police wouldnt let her in.

VERY SAD DAY INDEED.

[crookesey]

I walked into the Cricket Inn in Totley Bents, the landlord and other customers were discussing it while it was happening (via radio reports), none of us had any idea of how serious it was.

[crookesey]

I was visiting sheffield and it was my 21st birthday,my sister in law was a nurse at the time and she ran down to ground but police wouldnt let her in.

VERY SAD DAY INDEED.

 

The police should have been castigated for their total none action.

[iphonelover]

The kick off was delayed as there had been a traffic delay on the M62, hence MANY fans arriving late to the ground

 

I was in front of the telly in Doncaster, but two of my uncles, and their mates who used to babysit us as kids, were inside the ground. It's shocking to watch such a disaster unfolding, but when you're squinting at the faces hoping and hoping not to see what you're looking for...

 

And MANY had no tickets and forced entry basically and MANY were just late as they had been drinking locally. A lot were respectful on entry and let down by police and stewards who were also a big part of the reason this happened. There is no 1 category 100 % to blame. You would be naive strix to think most of those who entered late did so because of traffic delays, very naive indeed. I feel sorry for the families of ALL who died and were injured and also I feel sorry for the innocent who died who respectfully entered the stadium. I dont think moronic behaviour deserves death but i hope (im sure they do) those who acted like morons, whether it be fans, police etc.... Struggle to live with themselves for being a part of what caused that tragic day.

 

My family were there, liverpool fans, and make me proud when they hold their hands up and dont just blame the police! They know many aspects that day cauzed the tragedy, including their own fans! Not many lufc fans will dare admit, for whatever reason. my uncle sat here now remembering that day he lost his cousin, says this:

 

'Blame doesnt take the pain, make loved ones come back, blame eats you up, theres a fine line between fighting for justice and just wanting someone to blame. All the supporters there that day will have seen different things happen in their eyes view but its important to remember, if it had of been just 1 category making errors, it wouldnt have happened, every fan who entered that ground late through choice or under the influence needs to take some responsibility, every officer who panicked and failed to do his duties needs to take responsibilty, even if thats just within themselves, it doesnt have to be public. nothing good comes of blame and justice wont make the pain go, let them have peace and let us mourn without the media circus'

 

RIP

 

Just my opinion.

Edited July 20, 2011 by iphonelover

[Louise38]

I was actually there!!!!! it was awful day, i was 16 and was my first job, working at the ground.

[zepstox]

Totally clear memories about this day. I had been fishing at Morehall, I caught two 2lb brown trout on a Whisky fly, an orange fly I'd never used before. I drove back over Jawbone and past the Cow & Calf at Grenoside, the courtyard was packed and overflowing with Liverpool fans. It was exactly 14.50 when I passed the Cow & Calf as I had a snazzy new fiesta Sport with a digital clock built into the roof. I thought about going in the back door of the bottom Red Lion for a pint but it was warm and decided to go straight home to sort the trout out. It took me 2 minutes to get home from there. I gutted the fish, cleaned them and put them in the freezer and then went to my bedroom at my parents and turned the TV on. It was just being reported that there was a pitch invasion at Hillsborough. I've no idea what time this was, the players were off the pitch and it sounded like the game was going to be abandoned. Afterwards I spoke to my mate who lived on Trafalgar road and he said, the same kids who had thrown empty beer cans into and urinated in his garden on the way to the game, were now asking to use his phone to ring relatives in Liverpool, which of course he agreed to without thinking twice.

[juliavirago]

I was cooking in my house at the bottom of Manchester Rd in Broomhill. Heard siren after siren going past, learned later these were emergency vehicles from other areas coming into Sheffield. Switched my radio to Radio Sheffield and listened in horror to the live commentary. Next day I went down to donate blood - the blood donation centre was on the first floor. There was a queue right down the stairs out on to the street of people waiting to give blood.

[danielson]

people were knocking on our door asking if they could sit on our roof to watch the match