Justice for the 96
Taken from 'Hillsborough - The Truth' by Phil Scraton. Pages 17 and 18.
At about 2.15pm on an early spring afternoon at one of England's premier football grounds the crowd massed excitedly at the turnstiles. It was a big crowd for a major cup match between a team from the Midlands and one from the North West. The pressure built quickly around the turnstiles and fans were crushed against the walls. The terraces were packed. So packed that some young boys were passed over the heads of the crowd to the front.
As the turnstiles continued to supply a regular flow on the back of the terraces, those near the front began to feel the pressure. Some fans attempted to escape the crush but by 2.35pm it was impossible to move in any direction. Twenty five minutes before the game was due to start the enclosure was full. There was confusion between police and groundstaff over closing the turnstiles.
Outside the ground five minutes later the crowd was as tightly packed as it was on the terraces. Communication between the two areas was virtually impossible. Within minutes the position inside became serious as people in obvious distress tried to escape. Some fell to the ground to be trodden underfoot by fellow fans unable to avoid stepping on the bodies.
Ten minutes before kick off an exit gate behind the terraces was opened. Instantly the crush at the turnstiles was relieved. Throught the gate over 2000 people poured into the stadium, adding to the already unbearable pressure on the terraces.
At 2.55pm the teams ran out to a massive reception. Strategically places crush barriers prevented the crowd from compressing all the way down the terrace. However, there was one funnel where no barriers had been installed until near the bottom steps. The compression here was immense, bearing the full weight of the fans. Under the strain the barriers collapsed and the crowd went down over buckled steel.
Bodies were piled three and four deep. Realisation dawned among the police, St John's Ambulance officers and other fans that a serious disaster was taking place. Twelve minutes later the referee stopped the game and took the players from the pitch. It was the 9th March 1946 at Burnden Park. 33 people died and over 500 were injured at an FA Cup tie between Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City.
The Home Office enquiry, chaired by Moelwyn Hughes, criticised the police and ground officials for not realising the significance of the build up outside the ground, given the packing of the terraces inside. The terraces were full by 2.35pm, but the turnstiles remained open for a further ten minutes, packing another 2000 fans into already full enclosures. The authorities were roundly criticised for their lack of strategy, slow reactions and lack of organisation.
Moelwyn Hughes made many recommendations to prevent such a disaster happening again. An FA official who gave evidence at the enquiry 'feared that the disaster at Bolton might easily be repeated at 20 or 30 other grounds.' Outside of Bolton, one of the most significant lessons in football history was laid to rest alongside the 33 people who had died.
Forty three years and one month later on the 15th April 1989 the Hillsborough Disaster occurred, leaving 94 people dead on the day, a 95th four days later and the 96th in March 1993 when Tony Bland had his life support machine switched off.
In June 2000 at Leeds Crown Court, a private prosecution began against David Duckenfield, chief superintendent in charge of policing at Hillsborough on April 15th 1989, and his deputy superintendent Bernard Murray who was in control of the control room at the ground.
Mr Clegg, counsel for the defense for Duckenfield, in his summing up, stated If anyone could have foreseen [the disaster] it would never have happened. He said that death was not foreseen because the terraces were perceived to be inherently safe. They had been used safely for over a hundred years.
Oh really?