I have a genuine question for any Scousers. I promise I’m not having a go.
On April 15th this year, Liverpool are down to play an away game at Blackburn in the Premiership. This is the 17th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster, where 96 Liverpool fans died during an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest at the Sheffield ground. It is also the first time in those 17 years that Liverpool have been involved in a football game.
Now, some fans are complaining, insisting that the fixture be moved (Easter Friday is a popular alternative) as the date should remain special. Usually, a service is held at Anfield at 15:06 – the time the referee blew his whistle to end the match due to the obvious chaos in the crowd. The first team squad always attend to pay their respects. Obviously, unless this fixture is changed, then this can’t happen.
My sympathies are in no question to the fans and I can understand why they don’t want a disruption.
But.
Let’s play devil’s advocate, as I often do. What is so “special” about that particular event that the date should remain “football-free” for Liverpool for evermore?
They’ve played football on May 29th in seasons since 1985, I’m sure – that’s the date of the Heysel Stadium disaster where 39 people died. I don’t think many (if any) Liverpool fans were among the dead but certainly Juventus haven’t made a similar fuss since.
56 people died in Bradford on 11 May 1985 in a flash fire which sprang up during a game against Lincoln City. Again, I’m not aware of Bradford City avoiding matches on this date.
Manchester United have played on the anniversary of the Munich plane crash where their team was decimated on 6 February 1958.
So, again. Why the uproar around this one particular incident? Were it unique, then I would understand. Hell, even though it’s not unique, I understand. But given that other events haven’t spurred similar reactions, I only ask… why?
right – back on t’web –
too right about Hillsborough. Me and Mrs me were in Liverpool and visited the Hillsborogh shrine. IT was a tragedy, but rememberance doesn’t always need to be a public spectacle.
The only thing I can see is “more people died at *our* tragedy than anyone else’s”. This isn’t a competition. It’s a horrible, horrible thing that happened. It should be remembered. But why moreso than others?
I’m not going to be trite and say “the best way to remember it would be for Liverpool to win on the anniversary” because that’s crap. But the best way to remember it is to prove that although those 96 lives ended, nobody else’s did.
But, hey. I wasn’t there and neither was anyone I knew.
When it happened, I was working with a guy who had taken his brother there, I worked in Nottingham at the time so he wasn’t a Liverpool fan, but he was deeply affected by it, as were all of us in some way no doubt.
Equally I worked with someone, prior to that, who was one of the last rows off the plane that crashed on take off at Manchester Airport, he was in counselling for years, but he didn’t make anything special of it.
Surely they could play but not kick off until after they have held a service and paid their respects, that way not only do the travellling fans get their service, but it also includes others from the Premiership ensuring more coverage so that it is never forgotten.
In Scotland, Rangers haven’t refused to play on the anniversary of the Ibrox Disaster either (2nd Jan 1971).
Time moves on and the healing has to be allowed to begin. It should be more a case of not forgetting, rather than always remembering.
SWMBO – That’s a really good idea, I like it – but of course, where football, and good ideas cross I have no idea…
I’d be astounded if Ewood Park was anything but utterly silent were they to hold a silence there before the fixture. Or alternatively rapturously applause as this seems to be the current way of commemorating football-related tragedies.
It might be because of the televised nature of the tragedy. Millions of people watched in horror as the cameras continued rolling on Match of the Day. It’s rather like 9/11 – it will always be remembered because so many people watched it unfold live – you really felt as if you were there.
Precisely – it will always be remembered. And it should be. But I still don’t see why it’s any more “special” for Liverpool fans than the fire was for Bradford City fans.
It’s a difficult issue.
I am a Liverpool fan and from Liverpool. I think that the day of the Hillsborough disaster cannot be kept free from Liverpool FC football forever. Many other Liverpool fans feel that same.
As you point out, Bradford does not avoid playing on the anniversity of the terrible fire in 85 or Rangers on the date of the Ibrox disaster.
However, because those who wish that the first team does not play on the Hillborough disaster include some of the families affected by the disaster, it is a difficult thing to argue against the avoidance of the anniversary.
My personal impression is that most Liverpool fans and most Scousers weren’t in favour of rescheduling the Blackburn game.
Well, they seem to have struck a balance by moving the kickoff from 3:00 to 5:15 which will allow people to attend the service and get to the match.
It does beg the question, though, would the date still have been shifted had they not been playing a team 30 minutes along the M62?