So now its official. The police and authorities are to blame 100%. Not the fans, at all. From the moment the Leppings Lane gates were opened, I would agree that is the case, and suspected it to be so for a long time.
The Bill had a chain of command, and clearly those at the top were to blame. If you saw the TV programme on ITV on Hillsborough, the other night, you will have seen Trevor Hicks (lost both his daughters at Hillsborough) very graciously credit many bobbies on the ground, so many of the Joe Average 'footsoldier' bobbies did a good job, improvising in fast-moving and unimaginable circumstances. Without being trained? I also suspected this to be the case. Look at how many of the coppers statements were changed.
If a senior copper and a 'local politician' 'leaked'
damming information to the press just after the catastrophe, to 'deflect' towards the fans (as was reported yesterday),
who were they? Has it been admitted yet? If the copper was the senior one in charge on the day (Dukinfield), he is utterly finished. The second in command at Hillsborough has since died. Who was the local politician? Again, this is key information to see just how far the cover-up extended. A local politician involvement then extends the cover-up into local politics, at least. Read on.
Apparently SWFC
did not have a valid safety certificate in 1989, as was TV reported yesterday. ?????? This is incredulous. Why not? (it was granted by Sheffield City Council, at the time, as reported yesterday). Without a safety certificate, there should not have been so much as a marbles match there, let alone a major football match. SWFC should not have played any games either. So how is it, that they were? And for how long?
On the Look North programme on BBC1, yesterday teatime, the woman presenter spoke to Clive Betts, Sheffield MP, on videolink. Betts was the leader of Sheffield City Council in 1989. When pressed on the issue of the lack of the safety certificate at SWFC, and the council's involvement at the time, he looked very uncomfortable, and avoided answering the question. He responded (twice) by saying that Sheffield City Council had answered all questions back at the time. Well, that may so Betts, but much of what was said in the aftermath of Hillsborough has now been proven to be UNTRUE. How far does this extend? I have my suspicions...
Also, how much involvement did SWFC have in this issue? Did the cover-up extend into them too? They absolutely had to know they didn't have a safety certificate, but they certainly didn't mind the cash to continue rolling in at the turnstiles. Still,
where theres muck, there's brass, as is said in these parts. The then long standing Owls Chairman was Bert McGee. He retired not long afterwards. Dave Richards (of FA fame) took over.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Richards
Lots to think about, as is said in Escape To The Country.
I would like to sprinkle in some words and names which may, or may not be connected:
Sup. Dukinfield and his second in command
'early retirement'
Dore Golf Club
'local politicians'
Freemasonry.
Where I am very uncomfortable regarding fans, is prior to the gates being opened. Only on that, no 'guilty' fans would ever admit to any wrongdoing, would they? And certainly not now. 1970's and 1980's English football, and mobbing up to get in without tickets was widespread. Instant anonimity would be found once inside because of standing areas.
Football following in those two decades was rather different than now. Let me think of one choice example: SWFC fans at Rotherham. 1970's. Killed a police dog and threw it over a wall. Classy..... Spurs, MUFC, Chelsea, WHU, Saudi Sportswashing Machine had shocking reputations for trouble, and others. Some fans were utter scum then. Born in the gutter, live in the gutter and die in the gutter. Not all, of course.
Conclusion and Perspective
I have been a Spurs fan for 47 years (since I was 5), and I was in Hillsborough in 1981, for our semi final against Wolves. I was on the kop with the Wolves fans. I saw it all unfold opposite. My Liverpool-fan workmate here in 1989, had moved from Liverpool with his young family. He was on the Leppings Lane end that day, thankfully in the wings. He had months of counselling after. I could have had a ticket, and turned it down. My dad died of a heart attack in 1990. Aged 55. In our family, on both sides, there were shedloads of daughters, and three sons. Two sons were killed in car crashes (one at 17. On a life support machine, and his parents decided to turn it off. An impossible choice). I am the last in the line. I have a 13 year old son (and a Yid from birth). The youngest to die in Hillsborough was 10. I shudder at the thought of that.
The point I am trying to make is that there is so much brick in the world, it doesn't have to be increased by stupidity and ignorance, including on here.
As a final point, my very long standing mate is a fireman, and was on the pitch, helping, that day in 1989. He saw unspeakable sights. A body flattened, and the eyeballs exploded out by crushing (and worse than that). Ironically, he got the brick kicked out of him by Spurs fans at WHL, in the late 1970's. I find bitter irony in that.
Some of the comments on here defy belief, bringing shame to THFC supporters. It must stop. Now.