Tomorrow (29th May) marks the 35th anniversary of the Heysel Stadium disaster.
39 people died - mostly Italians and Juventus fans - and 600 others were injured when fans were crushed against a collapsing wall during the European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus, after crowd trouble culminated in a surge by Liverpool supporters towards the Italian team's fans.
Approximately an hour before the match was due to kick off, Liverpool supporters charged at Juventus fans and breached a fence that was separating them from a "neutral area." Juventus fans ran back on the terraces and away from the threat into a concrete retaining wall. Fans already standing near the wall were crushed; eventually the wall collapsed.
The disaster resulted in all English clubs being banned from Europe for 5 years, and Liverpool for a further year (reduced from 3 on appeal).
Among those killed were 32 Italians, four Belgians, two French fans and one from Northern Ireland. 14 Liverpool fans were found guilty of manslaughter and each jailed for 18 months.
UEFA observer Gunter Schneider said, "Only the Liverpool fans were responsible. Of that there is no doubt." UEFA, the organizer of the event, the owners of Heysel Stadium and the Belgian police were investigated for culpability. After an 18-month investigation, the dossier of top Belgian judge Marina Coppieters was finally published. It concluded that blame should rest solely with the Liverpool fans.
26 Liverpool fans were charged with manslaughter and 14 later found guilty and jailed for 18 months.
References to the Heysel disaster though, is harder to find than other sporting tragedies. There is a tiny memorial plaque dedicated to the victims inside Liverpool's club museum, along with the shirt worn by Kenny Dalglish on the night.
There has been little, if any, mention of the Heysel disaster during English football`s season, which has lead the Bianconeri to believe it has been forgotten.
The following clubs were denied entry into European competition during the ban:
1986:
Everton
Manchester United
Liverpool
Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton
Norwich City
1987:
Liverpool
Everton
West Ham
Man Utd
Sheff Weds
Oxford United
1988:
Everton
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
Liverpool
Arsenal
Norwich City
1989:
Liverpool
Wimbledon
Man Utd
Notts Forest
Everton
Luton Town
1990:
Arsenal
Liverpool
Notts Forest
Norwich City
Derby County
Tottenham Hotspur.
1991:
Liverpool.
JFT39
Football`s forgotten tragedy
posted on 30/5/20
comment by He’s our centre half! He’s our number 4! (U22158)
posted 10 hours, 25 minutes ago
comment by sandy (U20567)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by He’s our centre half! He’s our number 4! (U22158)
posted 59 minutes ago
comment by sandy (U20567)
posted 3 hours, 37 minutes ago
comment by He’s our centre half! He’s our number 4! (U22158)
posted 4 hours, 8 minutes ago
Sandy.
My dad and 2 uncles were not far from were the collapse happened. They’ve all said that they seen Juventus fans charging our fans first. Also there were Italian fans with knives and one even brought a starter pistol so don’t be blaming just our fans
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Juventus fan with the starting pistol was up the other end, so that is a complete non factor.
From what I saw quite clearly on TV, it was the Liverpool fans charging at the Juventus fans. Now I am not saying your dad and 2 uncles were not telling the truth, but the inquest did not actually see it that way.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I’m using the fan with the starter pistol as an example. Why feel the need to bring a starter pistol to a football match. How much of live footage did the tv show of it out of curiosity?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
All if it, including the fella with a pistol at the other end.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
So there’s a fella with a starter pistol, Juventus fans with blades and both sets of fans charging at each other but it’s just our fans who are the murderers?! Come on mate
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The judicial verdict was that it was solely Liverpool supporters responsible for the deaths. The Italian fans were not in any way implicated in the deaths of their own countrymen.
posted on 30/5/20
comment by sandy (U20567)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by He’s our centre half! He’s our number 4! (U22158)
posted 10 hours, 25 minutes ago
comment by sandy (U20567)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by He’s our centre half! He’s our number 4! (U22158)
posted 59 minutes ago
comment by sandy (U20567)
posted 3 hours, 37 minutes ago
comment by He’s our centre half! He’s our number 4! (U22158)
posted 4 hours, 8 minutes ago
Sandy.
My dad and 2 uncles were not far from were the collapse happened. They’ve all said that they seen Juventus fans charging our fans first. Also there were Italian fans with knives and one even brought a starter pistol so don’t be blaming just our fans
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Juventus fan with the starting pistol was up the other end, so that is a complete non factor.
From what I saw quite clearly on TV, it was the Liverpool fans charging at the Juventus fans. Now I am not saying your dad and 2 uncles were not telling the truth, but the inquest did not actually see it that way.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I’m using the fan with the starter pistol as an example. Why feel the need to bring a starter pistol to a football match. How much of live footage did the tv show of it out of curiosity?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
All if it, including the fella with a pistol at the other end.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
So there’s a fella with a starter pistol, Juventus fans with blades and both sets of fans charging at each other but it’s just our fans who are the murderers?! Come on mate
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The judicial verdict was that it was solely Liverpool supporters responsible for the deaths. The Italian fans were not in any way implicated in the deaths of their own countrymen.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The same verdicts that found the stadium guy guilty of manslaughter and yet you dont want to accept that fact.
You can't cherry pick which parts of the decisions you want to be true.
posted on 30/5/20
I think you’ll find manslaughter is murder in sandy’s book. I’d love to read that dictionary.
posted on 30/5/20
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 18 hours, 34 minutes ago
comment by Robbing Hoody - tell me I can't and I'll show you I can (U6374)
posted 1 minute ago
Billy being outed on twitter isone of my favourite ever 606 things. Didn't someone manage to find his business card or something?
Love it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeh, don't you just hate it when people hide behind anonymous online accounts so they can post abuse.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I never post abuse pal, unlike a lot of the mugs on these boards. Feel free to trawl my comments looking for examples
posted on 30/5/20
comment by ● Billy The Yidd ● (U3924)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 18 hours, 34 minutes ago
comment by Robbing Hoody - tell me I can't and I'll show you I can (U6374)
posted 1 minute ago
Billy being outed on twitter isone of my favourite ever 606 things. Didn't someone manage to find his business card or something?
Love it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeh, don't you just hate it when people hide behind anonymous online accounts so they can post abuse.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I never post abuse pal, unlike a lot of the mugs on these boards. Feel free to trawl my comments looking for examples
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Don’t say that. The last time someone asked a Liverpool fan that they collectively lost their shiiit and it turned into a 700 comment thread
posted on 30/5/20
comment by ● Billy The Yidd ● (U3924)
posted 1 hour, 48 minutes ago
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 18 hours, 34 minutes ago
comment by Robbing Hoody - tell me I can't and I'll show you I can (U6374)
posted 1 minute ago
Billy being outed on twitter isone of my favourite ever 606 things. Didn't someone manage to find his business card or something?
Love it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeh, don't you just hate it when people hide behind anonymous online accounts so they can post abuse.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I never post abuse pal, unlike a lot of the mugs on these boards. Feel free to trawl my comments looking for examples
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Same here Bilky. No need for any personal abuse. Amazing how many Liverpool fans get their kicks from insults and abuse. I have had to start filtering quite a lot of them again. I also seem to be getting quite a few Liverpool stalkers again. Really weird how they follow me around.
posted on 30/5/20
I never post abuse pal, unlike a lot of the mugs on these boards
==========
Haha that's brilliant.
posted on 30/5/20
comment by sandy (U20567)
posted 19 minutes ago
comment by ● Billy The Yidd ● (U3924)
posted 1 hour, 48 minutes ago
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 18 hours, 34 minutes ago
comment by Robbing Hoody - tell me I can't and I'll show you I can (U6374)
posted 1 minute ago
Billy being outed on twitter isone of my favourite ever 606 things. Didn't someone manage to find his business card or something?
Love it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yeh, don't you just hate it when people hide behind anonymous online accounts so they can post abuse.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I never post abuse pal, unlike a lot of the mugs on these boards. Feel free to trawl my comments looking for examples
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Same here Bilky. No need for any personal abuse. Amazing how many Liverpool fans get their kicks from insults and abuse. I have had to start filtering quite a lot of them again. I also seem to be getting quite a few Liverpool stalkers again. Really weird how they follow me around.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't flatter yourself.
posted on 30/5/20
When you’ve been calling a group of fans murderers for two days and then ponder this;
“ I also seem to be getting quite a few Liverpool stalkers again. Really weird how they follow me around”
There’s having no self awareness then there’s being on a different planet to your body.
posted on 30/5/20
I said this thread would attract all the wronguns...and and I was right