This blog could probably just post things about how old I feel and it would continue on quite happily… I clearly remember this tragedy that happened 20 years ago today. It’s my first real memory of any news story that really showed a large amount of death close enough to home for me to pay attention. I thought of it again when the towers were hit, even though it was on a much smaller scale, but it still felt close. Most Americans I’ve talked to, don’t even know about it, so here is the BBC memorial story. It had one strange and eventual benefit for me and I’m sure lots of other kids that attended the games, which was the removal of the horribly scary fences that stood strong at the front of all of the stands, creating an impenetrable perimeter to the pitch. They were the main cause of all of the deaths, and they always made me think of a prison fence, blocking access and ultimately a good view of the pitch. Not being a big football/soccer fan, I was glad of anything that made the sport more enjoyable and accessible, and that let me attempt to feel as passionate as my Dad always did. See an image of the crush against a fence here. It was at the home ground of Sheffield Wednesday but was a game between between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, which was abandoned soon into the second half.
{ 2009 04 15 }
chloe | 16-Apr-09 at 9:25 am | Permalink
ino its very sad about this day but i just need to no the people who died in it because none of my family is alive now olny me and my brother and i just want to no if any of my family have died at hillsborough
admin | 19-Apr-09 at 6:14 pm | Permalink
I don’t know the official list. Good Luck to you in your search, I wish you the best!!!
Sara Stewart | 03-Jun-09 at 2:01 am | Permalink
hi i am doing some research on two students who died at hilsbrough they went to halton high school if anyone knows anything about young ppl plz let me know
James Birch | 12-Jan-10 at 1:47 pm | Permalink
The person in the front of shot is already dead (see the blue around the lips). The other guy has vomit in his hair, either from him or someone else. Many victims had vomit in their tracheas as they couldn’t physically get it out of their mouths due to the crush. Holy Jesus. RIP the 96.
mark | 22-Jan-10 at 12:04 pm | Permalink
WRONG james..
the blue on her lips is from the falking paint… i have looked through who died and cant find either of these two on photos hope they got out.. a very upsetting disaster justice for the 96
scott | 16-Apr-10 at 12:40 pm | Permalink
everyone at the front, at the center where this is taken died.
You can’t survive with the amount of force behind them. It was about 15 mins later when the fence broke, so i can’t almost certainly say these unfortunate victims died.
It was a terrible accident. People are to blame however, They didn’t plan on anyone dying. It was the sort of thing that was going to happen eventually, the FA should have sorted out these grounds a long time ago. We are a venue for the world cup if england gets the bid, and im just worried that something simular could happen. Not in the ground but outside.
LORENZO GRIMALDI | 02-Nov-10 at 9:43 am | Permalink
Hi all! I discovered this interesting blog only today!!!unfortunately both the guys in the picture died with no escape.The girl with the face squeezed on the fences was Marian McCabe, the man behind her was Francis McAllister. I’ve been doing very accurate researches relating this very sad disaster and I foung a picture that shows these guys death, that’s why I’m so sure!!!
LORENZO GRIMALDI | 02-Nov-10 at 9:55 am | Permalink
Hi all I discovered this interesting blog just today
Unfortunately both the guys in the picture died. The girl (the one with the face squeezed in front of the fences) was Marian McCabe , the man behind her was Francis McAllister
I’ve been doing researches about Sheffield for years, so I discovered a video that shows very clearly those guys death…
Marian probably didn’t realize what was happening, she died staying standing still and since from the very beginning couldn’t move her face. Francis McAllister died later, and the vomit means that was about to die….
It would be great to share some more information with you!!….
Gianmaria Framarin | 04-Jun-11 at 7:37 pm | Permalink
Hi there lads, I’m an Everton fan who was 16 when this huge tragedy happened.
I wanted to add infos about what Lorenzo said: aye, it’s Francis McAllister and Marion McCabe there, I had recognised them from the pics shown in the vistims list, but… you said you saw other pics or even videos showing them already dead, didn’t you?
I mean, you probably know that whereas Marion died on the spot, probably Francis was taken out of that place and died later somewhere. Could you tell me all you know about this and how you got the infos?
Why did you say the fact there’s vomit on Francis’ hair means he was about to die? I mean, people often vomit when they get nervous or panic, so I wouldn’t relate that to vomit as a result of ‘dying’…
LORENZO GRIMALDI | 14-Jul-11 at 4:29 am | Permalink
Hi Gianmaria,are you Italian? however I’m sure about the sad end of Francis McAllister, because I saw him in one video…in this video the stadium was starting being empty (it was probably 3,25/3.30 p.m. more or less); in that video marion had finally a little space to rest in peace without being totally squeezed in front on the fences,insiead Francis was behind her, standing still, with his eyes closed…. he weas death and nobody would have had the possibility to pick him up at all..