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Not a rant FoO, just talking from your heart.

Hopefully the cynicals and doubters will sit up and listen. 

heath63

I have just noticed this thread and thought I'd give it to you from the horses mouth.

I was 21 at the time and was quite used to watching Liverpool home and away. At 14:15 my brother (23) and I entered via the Leppings Lane turnstiles. As soon as you entered the ground there was only one obvious sign telling you where to go. This was a "standing" sign which pointed to the tunnel. We went down the tunnel and stood in one of the pens behind the goals. After a few minutes we thought it was odd that the two middle pens were extremely busy but the outer pens weren't. Crowds continued to come in and at about 14:25 we had a good look around and decided to try and get to the other pens on the sides.

We went back down the tunnel and looked back at the stands. It was at this point we realised that there were smaller and faded "standing" signs pointing to the sides so we went to one of them and eventually stood at the corner flag but quite high up on the lower level of this area. This view was directly opposite the Police Control Room.

It was obvious to us for the next 30 mins or so that something was really strange about the way the crowd were being directed. The rest is history and for thoise who dont know, a lot of the dead died in the tunnel.

My point is this. I was a 21 year old with experience of football crowds and I had the same view as David Duckenfield and his highly paid match commanders. If I saw what was going on why didn't they. Ultimately, if the crush outside was too much then all they had to do was block off the tunnel and direct people to the sides. A major break down in communication and nothing short of a man incompetent at his job.

There were drunken fans there, but nothing that hasnt been seen at every match. The Police are there to control those situations and they didnt do it on that day. Duckenfield had no experience of policing football matches.

As for the cover up , I'm just so glad that it has now been revealed. For years we as a city have been shouting about this for 23 years and it is great credit to the families that justice has started to be done. For me , it will be complete when the perpetrators of the cover up are prosecuted although I wont hold my breath.

If you want to read more I highly recommend this book by Jimmy McGovern. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hillsborough-The-Truth-ebook/dp/B0052Z3E5G/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1

JFT 96

You are 100% correct MikeJ ,   Thankfully there has been positive changes with the outcome of Hillsborough.   We do know that it wasn't the grass roots police, they were limited to the orders given on that day. 

   We know that their debriefing was wholly inadequate, as they mainly told that they will be dealing with crowd disorder and pitch invasions, rather than crowd safety.

Many of the police statements were doctored, altered because of their scathing attack and critism of their senior police in charge on that fateful day.

They are the very questions, I would like to know the answers too.Those very Senior Police and football officials need to answer, and the coroners desicion stating the cut off time at 3.15pm, seems that they have colluded with the police, to prevent awkward questions being asked. 

We now kinow, that the problems were bering unfolded far, far before kick off time were the bottle kneck at lepping lane.  Lateness of fans would not make any difference whatsoever,  thats one of the reasons why lateness had been stated.

Thankfully it was the stoic of the families asking  awkward questions and the tenasity(sp)  . That the truth has finally comeout.

heath63

Those involved, broke the law, perverting the course of justice, tampering with evidence, statemenst, which are criminal offences.   Therefore should be prosecuted.    Technically the judge is saying.  One rule for the police, one rule for others. 

To put faith back in the justice system, they need to go to trial. 

heath63