Sad But True

by Craig Chapman - 09:28 on 13 April 2009

The 20th anniversary of the Hillsbrough football tragedy where 96 Liverpool fans lost their lives in a crush at an FA Cup semi-final, were rightly honoured at Anfield on Saturday and will be once more this week on the actual anniversary date.

Fingers are still pointed at the South Yorkshire Police for failing to handle a large crowd arriving at the last minute, many directly from the pub, supposedly carrying valid tickets to enter the Leppings Lane area of the ground.

Having up to 2000 additional people trying to cram themselves into this area is not the fault of the police. They rely on responsible ticketing arrangements, managed by the clubs.

The Liverpool "Scally" culture has the biggest part to play in this disaster and yet no-one has had the courage to say so in 20 years. The touting of countless illegal tickets in the city's pubs caused this tragedy and some Liverpool people even profited from it, yet not a word has been raised against them.

How many of those with friends and family who were killed or hurt in the crush knew that they were carrying illegal tickets ? Each person who entered that ground illegally that day played a big part in the cause of the tragedy, as did the touts back in Liverpool.

Thankfully, football grounds are far safer places these days due to this needless tragedy. Everyone needs to remember to take more responsibility for their own actions and the authorities managing all manner of events should not forget the potential circumstances that might unfold if they fail to get a grip.

The fences were in place because of the behavoir of many football fans at that time - I saw it at first hand as a child trying to balance on stool and watch the games with my Dad. It wasn't a pretty sight and the reputation many fans got at that time was deserved.

Sometimes, we have to look at ourselves and that is what I think is missing in this situation.

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