Twenty-one years ago, April 15, 1989, Liverpool fans gathered to watch their beloved Reds play Nottingham Forest in an F.A. Cup Semi-final match at Hillsborough Stadium, home to Sheffield Wednesday F.C. Seven minutes into the match, a frenzy at the Leppings Lane end of the stadium caused the footballers to stop play. In a rush to get into the stadium to see their Reds, Liverpool fans were hurdled through far too few gates creating a bottleneck effect which, unfortunately, left those inside to feel the brunt of the rush. A fence, which separated the gallery from the pitch (mainly to keep the footballers safe from a fan rushing onto the pitch), prevented those fans already inside to escape the mad rush that ensued. The result was a human crush that ended up taking the lives of 96 Liverpool fans.
Today we remember the tragedy at Hillsborough. Much controversy surrounds the incident. For starters, many blame the police control (or lack thereof) while others blame the stadium design. And then there is the controversial tabloid publication of The Sun. On the Wednesday following the disaster, the tabloid published reports that Liverpool fans pick-pocketed and urinated upon the dead and those trying to help save lives. These allegations contradicted the reports that Liverpool fans were desperately helping the police and ambulance crews to usher away those injured and revive those who were ceased.
Regardless of the controversies, 96 people lost their lives. Today we remember them and their families. The phrase associated with the club since its inception never rings more true than on a day like today:
You'll Never Walk Alone
JWR
