35 years ago today

[Blade56]

In case anyone forgets......

 

[Blade56]

Oh sh*t, I’m turning myself in to the thread police, wrong section.

 

[pommpey]

Jesus. I was on HMS Fife, and we had just left Naples that night and were circling the bay, trying to pick up the TV reception. Imagine our shock when we got onto a bearing and the picture cleared and we were met with that savagery. We'd also left two of our ship's company in a Naples nick after being arrested for being shitfaced and resisting arrest. They'd already had a good hiding from the gentle, level-headed Italian cops and after the British Embassy staff had done their least to get them off and back to the ship for sailing, they remained inside as we left (therefore liable to a further navy discipline charge for being adrift) When Heysel happened, they got some more punishment. One of them was a scouser, too.

I was also away on that deployment for the Bradford City fire. If you haven't read the recent book on that, I thoroughly recommend it. It was fucking gobsmacking and terrifying as well as heartbreaking as a football supporter.

1985. Not a good year for football.

pommpey

 

[Blade56]

We Were in Majorca and a group in our complex scrounged a TV, got the booze lined up and row of poolside chairs. Sat all the kids at the front and watched in horror, had to get kids away as soon as the seriousness of the situation became clear. We were with locals and waiters, everyone kept watching in silence, not out of morbid interest just disbelief and shock, booze wasn’t touched.

 

[TAMUS]

4 Years later not our fault at a similar death trap stadium ,

 

[pommpey]

4 Years later not our fault at a similar death trap stadium ,

That point is often very much missed. Set aside Dickinson's questionable judgements and the coverups and lies, the whole incident hinged on crowd dynamics and human behaviour.

pommpey

 

[Paisley Blade]

That point is often very much missed. Set aside Dickinson's questionable judgements and the coverups and lies, the whole incident hinged on crowd dynamics and human behaviour.

pommpey

All it would have took was a row of six coppers blocking off that godawful central tunnel and fanning people to the left and right in that godawful shithole.

 

[pommpey]

All it would have took was a row of six coppers blocking off that godawful central tunnel and fanning people to the left and right in that godawful shithole.

Oh, I totally, absolutely agree. There were strategic, professional, fatal fuck ups on all sides that day by the old Bill and Swillsborough staff and by the FA who basically thought it fine to pen fans in like animals. It was a ticking bomb of tragedy. But ... there was still a determined effort by a lot of ticketless fans to get into a stadium end which was designed to hold 'x' amount. Absolving them of any culpability is another crime and no amount of hands-in-the-air, we're-all-united-eh-lar?/'wallllk-on!' dickheadry can steer away from that. Had only ticketed fans got in, this thread wouldn't be where it is and 96 fans would have not sadly, tragically died.

As said before on here, my sister's mate's upstairs bedroom window faces that very gate, and she's one of the unclean as well. But I take her actual, naked-eyewitness account with some credence. And she was never offered a chance to give any evidence.

pommpey

 

[TAMUS]

Englands worst day for lives lost at a match , in History and it had to happen at that shit-hole , pigs got off scot free with the death trap stand still there

 

[SW12 to S12 to S18]

Oh, I totally, absolutely agree. There were strategic, professional, fatal fuck ups on all sides that day by the old Bill and Swillsborough staff and by the FA who basically thought it fine to pen fans in like animals. It was a ticking bomb of tragedy. But ... there was still a determined effort by a lot of ticketless fans to get into a stadium end which was designed to hold 'x' amount. Absolving them of any culpability is another crime and no amount of hands-in-the-air, we're-all-united-eh-lar?/'wallllk-on!' dickheadry can steer away from that. Had only ticketed fans got in, this thread wouldn't be where it is and 96 fans would have not sadly, tragically died.

As said before on here, my sister's mate's upstairs bedroom window faces that very gate, and she's one of the unclean as well. But I take her actual, naked-eyewitness account with some credence. And she was never offered a chance to give any evidence.

pommpey

I’m afraid there were mistakes all round, but, if the pissed up scum without tickets hadn’t been so intent on forcing their way into the ground there wouldn’t have been a problem.

 

[Bayingblade]

Oh, I totally, absolutely agree. There were strategic, professional, fatal fuck ups on all sides that day by the old Bill and Swillsborough staff and by the FA who basically thought it fine to pen fans in like animals. It was a ticking bomb of tragedy. But ... there was still a determined effort by a lot of ticketless fans to get into a stadium end which was designed to hold 'x' amount. Absolving them of any culpability is another crime and no amount of hands-in-the-air, we're-all-united-eh-lar?/'wallllk-on!' dickheadry can steer away from that. Had only ticketed fans got in, this thread wouldn't be where it is and 96 fans would have not sadly, tragically died.

As said before on here, my sister's mate's upstairs bedroom window faces that very gate, and she's one of the unclean as well. But I take her actual, naked-eyewitness account with some credence. And she was never offered a chance to give any evidence.

pommpey

Your sisters eye witness account is pretty close, Pomps……...from what I saw that day...…...from the top of Leppings Lane!

I was asked to give evidence, said "yes", but was never contacted...…...strange

 

[TomHeffernan]

That point is often very much missed. Set aside Dickinson's questionable judgements and the coverups and lies, the whole incident hinged on crowd dynamics and human behaviour.

pommpey

absolute bollocks