What a great service, very touching for those who remember the tragic events of the day 20 years ago.

I particularly enjoyed listening to Mr Hicks, who lost two daughters that day, the words he found to say were very challenging to football supporters and yet uplifting, it is individuals such as he who continued to fight for justice. I also remember the documentaries at the time and he (Hicks) was clearly central to seeking justice.

At the service he even read out a concluding statement from Lord Justice Taylor’s report and it was as damning then, as it is today. Hicks challenged football supporters to never forget it was becasue of standing at football matches that 96 people died, not because of seated stadia. He implored people to use the seats for sitting on. At Old Trafford, there are occasions where we all stand for the duration of a game, forgetting that we should be seated, and he is right.  Sit down for safety.

I remember the day quite well -coming in from a match at Chesterfield, and hearing about the events up the road at a ground I had played on.

I do remember my immediate thoughts that the Police would have had some involvement, they still are (see recent G20 protests in London for recent evidence) and were awful at crowd control even in those days.  Wherever you went in those days (1970’s & 80’s), the Police were uncomfortable with crowd management. It was always football supporters who were to blame. It could never be anyone elses fault. Thus a blameless society was born, no-one will take responsibility for their actions anymore. Will Blair ever own up about WMD? doubt it.

More can be read at the Hillsborough Support group web-site, not for the faint hearted:
[1] Hillsborough Support group website

No football fan should die because of going to a match, and yet they still do, and will continue to do so, even as recent as 30th March 2009 at a World Cup Qualifier in the Ivory coast (Didier Drogba’s country), 19 people died.

What will happen in South Africa in 2010….