Clubs put rivalries aside with tributes on 35th anniversary of Hillsborough

On the 35th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, tributes were paid across football to the 97 who lost their lives and the families and survivors affected.

April 15 will forever be a poignant day in the history of sport, with 96 supporters attending a football and never returning home, and another losing his life years later.

READ: Hillsborough – How the fans fought for justice

The events of Hillsborough are indelibly marked in football, and now 35 years on, clubs continue to pay tribute to the 97 and those affected.

On this day, rivalries with Liverpool are set aside and respect is shown, with Nottingham Forest – the Reds’ opponents on that day in Sheffield in 1989 – among the first to honour the 97.


On Sunday, a minute’s silence was held at Anfield before kickoff between Liverpool and Crystal Palace, with away supporters praised for an impeccably observed tribute.

A mosaic was displayed on the Kop, while Monday brought further tributes from the club at the Hillsborough Memorial.

Jurgen Klopp and Virgil van Dijk were joined by Kenny Dalglish and chief executive Billy Hogan, as well as club ambassadors Ian Rush, John Barnes and Natasha Dowie, in laying wreaths outside the stadium.

Flags are being flown at half-mast throughout the day, and at 3.06pm – the minute the FA Cup semi-final was stopped – 97 biodegradable balloons will be released at Anfield.

At a time when rivalries are intensifying on and off the field, the anniversary of Hillsborough brings clubs across England and beyond together in a show of respect.

Rest in peace the 97. You’ll Never Walk Alone.