Hillsborough Disaster:
One of the worst ever night in the history of football, the Hillsborough Disaster, a human stampede which cost 96 lives . Much like all other matches, the night started normally as both sets of fans were allocated south and north ends with a capacity of just over 29,800. It was a much anticipated game as the league Champions Liverpool played against Nottingham Forest. The main reason for the disaster is the overcrowd of fans and the stewards, who opened the gates that ordinarily permitted the free flow of supporters departing the stadium. Two further gates were opened to relieve pressure which paved the way for thousands of visitors to enter the terrace. On a normal evening, Police and Stewards would have been there for the protection but with the onrush of the fans nothing could be done.
Hundreds of people were pressed against one another and the fencing by the weight of the crowd behind. People entering were unaware of the problems at the fence and kept rushing in, one by one fans were crushed and fell on the pitch causing traumatic injuries. The disaster took 96 innocent lives and around 700 fans were injuries, which included broken arms and ribs.
- Cards and flowers on the Hillsborough memorial
Arsenal’s connection with the Hillsborough Disaster:
Well if it wasn’t for Hillsborough Arsenal fans would never had their biggest night ever in their footballing history.
Sad but true and never gonna be repeated in our lifetime either!!!
The match had been originally scheduled to be played on 23 April. However, on 15 April Liverpool’s FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough was the scene of the worst disaster in English football history, with 96 fans crushed to death inside the stadium. The Liverpool-Arsenal fixture was postponed, with no suitable date found until after the FA Cup Final. Liverpool beat Everton 3–2 in that game, meaning that if they won the League title as well, it would complete a historic second Double.
Arsenal had been the leading team at the top of the First Division for much of the season. At the turn of the year, they had been 15 points ahead of Liverpool, but their form dropped as the season drew to a close, whilst Liverpool had been unbeaten since 1 January. In the run-up to the Anfield match, Arsenal lost to Derby County and drew with Wimbledon; Liverpool won twice, 2–0 against Queens Park Rangers and 5–1 against West Ham United allowing them to overtake Arsenal with one game to play and take a superior goal difference. On the eve of the match, they were three points ahead, the rest is history…..
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