Hillsborough-Let us remember

I'll be remembering but not because I'm a footie fan. We were in Sheffield that day celebrating my gran's 80th birthday. I remember seeing all the coaches on their way there and hearing the awful news as we travelled home that day.

RIP to all the people that lost their lives and ? too all their family and friends ?

20 Years ago today I was sat with my dad to watch the red team play... I wondered why the game never finished....

At 3.06 take a minute or 2 to think about the 96 that never came home that day.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7998713.stm

Glider, a red since that day.

I also remember it well, i was only little at the time 7yrs old.

My brother was and still is a massive liverpool fan, he should have been at that game but was unwell so didnt make the coach from glasgow. Thank god.

My heart goes out to all the people who lost loved ones that day.

I was quite sheltered from it all (I was 9 and didn't really get to watch any of the news coverage) but sadly my H wasn't. It's a very sad day and we will definitely be stopping at 3.06pm to remember the people who died and also all the people who had to live out the nightmare with them, seeing people joined by blood, friendship or just by wearing red not make it and to wonder if they would get out off it themselves. It's the cliché but anyone who was there that day will never walk alone.

I can't believe people are beginning to campaign for standing areas to be brought back in UK football grounds, that's something that we should never be seen again.

ETA Glider, that clip is harrowing viewing but thank you for sharing it. I can't begin to imagine how awful it was to be there or to be watching the coverage wondering where you son/daughter/dad/brother/cousin would be in the stand and having to wait hours until a kind Hillsborough resident took them into their house to let them use their phone to let them know they were alive. I sobbed last week listening to the account of a young lad wandering alone through the streets with no idea where to go or what to do, a local couple took him in, let him call his mum and stay there until someone could come to get him. It must be the longest day either him or his mum have ever had and he was one of the lucky ones. He said it's the kindest thing anyone has ever done for him. That's me off again just thinking about it. ? The only person I knew who was there pre meeting H (I now know several with not everyone making it) was in seats and managed to get out and back to the car quite quickly, stopping to phone from a service station to say he and his brother were ok. He has never spoken about that day again.

One survivor in a radio report mentioned that a Beardsley shot rattled the crossbar. He reckoned that if he had scored, the resultant celebrations would have caused an even bigger rush of fans on to the terraces....Thank god that didn't happen.

Two boys I went to primary school with (one in my class and one in my sisters class) lost their father and uncle at that game. I remember our headmaster taking us into assembly the following day and telling us about it. So so sad.

Like Mrs Magic I was only a small child (8) at the time, and was on a day out with the Brownies. I remember getting back and moaning at my mum to stop walking so fast on the way home because I was tired and receiving a resounding wallop. What I didn't know at the time was that Hilsborough had unfolded a few hours before and at that point she still hadn't heard from my dad.

We were lucky in that my dad and other family members made it out of the pens that day, but the effects on those who literally had to fight for their lives has been so far reaching. My dad has never spoken about everything that happened that day, and the (fantastic) BBC tribute before the game last Saturday had him shaking.

Before Hilsborough my dad was a mad football fan who loved going to games; his other big love was rock concerts. He doesn't go to either now because he can't stand being in the stadiums or being tightly packed in anywhere. He has never managed to go to the memorial services before because he just couldn't face it, but this year he has decided it's something he needs to do, so we will be at Anfield this afternoon.

There's a strange atmosphere today, and the absolute deluge of rain we've got is probably adding to that. A more poetically minded friend has just commented that it's almost like the city is crying in memory.

This turned out to be rather longer than I anticipated! So, here's thinking of the 96, their friends and families, and all of those who's lives were touched that day. YNWA.

I shall be in silence at 3.06pm. As someone said to me earlier, with it being the school hols I am able to do this as there's noway I could do it at work.

I was 8, nearly 9 twenty years ago and was in Sheffield. My auntie had just given birth (just after midnight) to my first cousin so we'd gone over to the hospital to see her. We left pretty quickly and I remember watching the news with my nan, grandad, mum, dad and nan's next door neighbour.

I am a life-long Sheffield Wednesday fan thanks to my grandad and I'm now married to a life-long Liverpool supporter so it is still close to our hearts.

Watching the piece on Football Focus on Saturday had me and my H in floods of tears so I get the feeling I'm going to be the same today as I shall watch TV footage today.

Thinking of the 96 and their families and everyone who witnessed the tragic events 20 years ago.

As my husband would say 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.

Two brothers from up the road from us died that day. They were 16 and 17. I just cannot imagine the pain their parents went and still go through, to lose both of your children like that, you'd not ever begin to think you'd lose one child from going to a football game but to lose them both ? I remember reading about their dad's search for them when they didn't return on the supporters coach, just heartbreaking.

Thinking of everyone ?

That's the thing isn't it, the lives of many more people than the 96 families of the dead were affected. I hope your Dad finds some peace this afternoon Majix.

Remembering all of the Hillsborough victims today.

I remember getting back into the car after a rehearsal at school and chatting and laughing to my father, who shouted at me very sharply to shut up as he was listening to the reports on the radio.

Then we found out that two girls we knew had died. One had just left school, one was in the year above me. I can' t begin to describe the shock that was palpable in the school on Monday.

A small memorial garden with benches was put up for them in the school grounds, and I remember growing up and watching the younger girls sitting on the benches at lunchtime and feeling quite sad thinking that they were totally unaware of what that nice flowered area was there for.

You watch the footage and just think STOP PUSHING STOP PUSHING.

My thoughts are with all those who've suffered xx

I just can't believe it's 20 years. I was profoundly shocked by the news reports at the time and they're just as shocking today.

My H is a Forest fan and was at Hillsborough for the match that day. He watched the whole thing unfold from an opposite stand. He describes it as a nightmare in slow motion. He says that as it went on people started to push in his stand too, because they wanted to see what was happening that suspended the game.

We will be thinking of all those who lost their lives today.

Reading through this has made me ? my thoughts are with everybody whose lives have been touched by this.

LFC TV are showing the full service this afternoon if you have Sky or Virgin. It is usually a pay channel but today it's free.

? Moglie. It's online too, if anyone doesn't have sky/virgin - https://www.liverpoolfc.com

I was 19 twenty years ago and in the back of a car with my then boyfriend travelling across the country for a concert with his parents. I was brought up an Everton fan (although I don't follow any team now) and sat there in tears for the entire journey.

Will be remembering the 96 this afternoon.

I was 19 at the time and remember the day so clearly. I was at home watching the semi on the BBC and just sat glued to the TV for hours watching open mouthed and crying. As a hardened Man U fan I started the day hoping for a Nottingham Forest victory but all that paled into complete insignificance as the day unfolded. I've just spent the last hour trawling through the BBC website and watching (and crying at) some of the clips they have. I too shall be downing tools at work at 3.06 to pay my respects to the many many people who were (and still are) affected by this terrible tragedy.

Today is not a day for pinning your club's colours to your chest, but a day for the whole footballing family to come together and contemplate the events of 20 years ago and let the victims and their families know they are not forgotten, for they never shall be.

Justice for the 96, they shall never walk alone ?

I was 6 when this happened, and even though I was so young I remember the photograph on the front of the newspaper the following day (incidentally, this is also one of the photographs they have used in the memorial slide-show on msn today) and watching the news and seeing the police and linesmen trying to pull the people out from the front.

Such a terrible tradgedy ?

I was only 5 when this happened so can't really remember it much. But i remember watching a programme, perhaps when i was about 15 so it was most likely the 10 year anniversary and i sobbed my heart out for the people that were affected. I go to a lot of football matches and i am so glad that things have been put into place so this should never happen again.

Glider, that link that you posted was so terribly sad but thank you for sharing. My thoughts go out to everyone who was affected by HIllsborough. As someone else has said, it doesn't matter who you support on days like this is puts all football rivalry into perspective.

I am not a Liverpool fan or a football fan at all really, although I am from another city which has also been struck by a similar football-related tragedy (Glasgow). I remember the coverage of the Hillsborough disaster as if it was yesterday and can't believe it was 20 years ago, I was nearly 16 and studying for exams, went downstairs for a break and saw the people swarming onto the pitch, the people in the upper tiers pulling out the people underneath....it was obvious this was no pitch invasion, that we were witnessing something truly awful.

?s to those on here affected - your stories have made me ?

I saw the Football Focus piece on Saturday and will also be watching the news coverage today.

I think it is important to remember, not only those who died, but to all the amazing people who helped save lives. I can still feel the arms of the man who pulled me up and out of the central pen.

I remember stopping at a service station on the way home and watching my dad and his best mate (the bravest and toughest men I've ever known) sat by the roadside simply holding each other and sobbing.

It is one of the first years I haven't been back to Liverpool for the memorial service and I feel strangely guilty and relived at the same time.

I was 16 years old and totally besotted with a young 18 year old and the Friday night I went to bed as high as a kite because he was meeting me the next night when he got back from Hillsborough.

Our other friend had to ring the pub, looking for the lads, to tell him P was missing. The following morning he came to tell my mum that he was dead and would she please tell me.

Losing P was horrific, seeing the after effects on our friend as he struggled to comprehend why he had lived and P hadn't was probably even worse and even now 20 years on, despite the fact we all lead very different lives now, its the one thing that will always unite us, as it unites so many others.

RIP to the 96.

There isn't much I can say other than your Hillsborough story which has been pieced together from different posts over the years has touched me so much. I'm very glad there were amazingly brave people who helped people like you to get out. I'm guessing your dad and his friend lifted you up and the relief that they must have felt with you being at the service station with them must have been overwhelming, as well as the shock and grief of the situation you had found yourselves in.

I can understand why you must feel guilt and relief today. I guess your life is into a new chapter and that must see you through it too.

Take care lovely and I will later on, not only the dead and their families but also the courage shown by everyone who was there that day and especially the brave people we have to thank for saving people like yourself. ?

? to everyone who has been touched in some way.

There isn't much I can say other than your Hillsborough story which has been pieced together from different posts over the years has touched me so much. I'm very glad there were amazingly brave people who helped people like you to get out. I'm guessing your dad and his friend lifted you up and the relief that they must have felt with you being at the service station with them must have been overwhelming, as well as the shock and grief of the situation you had found yourselves in.

I can understand why you must feel guilt and relief today. I guess your life is into a new chapter and that must see you through it too.

Take care lovely and later on, I will not only remember the dead and their families but also the courage shown by everyone who was there that day and especially the brave people we have to thank for saving people like yourself. ?

? to everyone who has been touched in some way.

There was an excellent article in the Observer a few weeks ago written by survivors and relatives. Adrian Tempany's piece is harrowing but so powerful - I had to stop reading several times to catch my breath. There's also something written by the only ambulance driver allowed onto the pitch and you can sense the devastating impact the disaster has had on the rest of his life.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/mar/15/hillsborough-disaster-survivors

Viva Suzi I had no idea you were there. ? to all who need one.

My thoughts are with all those who died and whose families have lost loved ones - it must have been truly horrendous to have been there. I can remember the day really clearly - I was in my 2nd year at Uni and had spent the day at hospital with a friend who had just suffered a miscarriage. Strangely, I was thinking yesterday when she text me as to whether to say that I am thinking of her today - but like a lot of people with the Hillsborough tragedy, she never talks about her time in hospital.

Having been brought up in a football family as it were, my first memories of disaster was being told about the 1971 Ibrox disaster. My younger sister had been born the day before and my father always used to mention the disaster from time to time, being Scottish too. I clearly remember the fire at Valley Parade as my Mum was helping me revise for my biology O level on the evening - I can clearly remember her sitting with me on my bed and asking me loads of quesitons about medicines/drugs for malaria.

Fast forward 20 years and I am now married to a Nottingham Forest fan and so today will be poignant for him too - although he was only 6 at the time and not at the match, it is a day that is still talked about lots

I can still remember exactly where I was when it made the news that day 20 years ago, I was 7 and I remember my Gran asking what it was and what had happened. My now H should of gone to that game but didn't go because his dad didn't want to stand and watch the game.

I will try to have a minutes silence whilst at work but its all dependent on the phones.

My thoughts will be with all those familes who lost someone that day.

YNWA 96

Pickled Eggs a red since 1991.

It's all been incredibly moving, especially the candles with the names on, but that lad had me in tears. Probably my emotions are heightened by having lost my own Dad recently. I can't imagine what it must have been like for people there on the day and for the families who were affected.

The service was incredibly moving. We watched some on Sky News so we could see events elsewhere too, BBC and on the LFC channel. I thought it was a really poignant service and think it covered something for everyone. I hope the hitchers who were there (in person or in spirit) were comforted by it. ?

I won't be wathing Sky News again though, I've made a pact with myself. Within minutes of the MP being receiving boos while reading the message from Gordon Brown, it came up with "BREAKING NEWS: MP heckled by a minority while reading message from PM at Hillsborough Memorial" to "BREAKING NEWS: MP heckled while reading message from PM at Hillsborough Memorial" and stayed there throughout the service, even while Trevor Hicks was talking about the media's potrayal of the disaster, the club and the fans. Yes it was wrong but it was a tiny minority who were then stopped in their tracks by the others starting to sing but yet again, LFC supporters are portayed badly. It's made me really angry and I'm not even a LFC fan! Why couldn't they have focussed on all the positive things? The BBC had it up briefly but had the sense and decency to take it down again. It was spoken about in context afterwards, not in the sensational way on Sky. Gah. </end rant> sorry!

Going with my earlier comment about whatever team we support, we should all remember todays date and its significance, I was really pleased that the team I support had asked permission to FIFA to wear a black armband in their match European match tonight to respect those that had lost their lives supporting what is usually one of their closest rivals. It shows that sport can be a great leveller.

Peter